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CLAIMS OF SIX HUNDRED MILLIONS 


AND THE 


ability and duty of the churches 


RESPECTING THEM. 





We know that the whole world lieth in wickedness—and that Jesus 
Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world.'*'* 

Apostle John. 


“ Neither is there salvation in. any other; for there is none other 
name,”&c. Apostle Petep.. 

Go ye therefore and teach all nations. Jesus Christ. 

‘ For how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard ? 
and how shall they hear without a preacher ? and how shall they 
preach except they be sent,’’ Apostle paul. 


ANDOVER: 


PRINTED FOR THE AMERICAN BOARD OF COMMISSiON- 
ERS FOR FOREIGN MISSIONS, 

By Flagg & Gould. 

1818 . . 





ADVERTISEMENT. 



This is the joint production of the Rev. Messrs. GoRHoir HAtr.- 
and Samuel Newell, American Missionaries at Bombay, Their 
intention was that it should be published “ without a name.” It is 
considered, however, as coming within the general discretion allow¬ 
ed by them, and as due to the great cause which they so earnestly 
and so ably plead, to let them be known as the authors of the work ; 
aince, with this knowledge, many of the statements, and sentiments, 
and views exhibited in it are likely to be more justly appreciated, 
and the whole to be received with a livelier interest, and to produce 
a greater and more extended effect. 

Since the work came from the hands of the authors considerable 
lime has elapsed, during which the number of Missionaries sent to 
the Heathen has been continually increasing, and missionary opera¬ 
tions in general rapidly advancing. In regard to these particulars, 
in revising the copy for publication, some alterations have been 
made, that the estimates might agree more nearly to the present 
state of facts. In other instances in which, had the work been writ¬ 
ten here and at the present time, the statements and representations 
might have been a little different, it has been thought best on the 
whole to make no alteration ; as a greater degree of exactness would 
not materially affect the argument or the design^ and it seemed de¬ 
sirable that the beloved and respected authors should speak, ac¬ 
cording to the information possessed by them at Bombay, with 
their own views, and in their own manner. 

They address themselves directly to the American Churches and 
Christians, without distinction of denomination ; and to all the 
Churches and Christians in our land, not by any means to the exclu¬ 
sion of others, the solemn, pathetic, and forcible appeal is most fer¬ 
vently recommended. 

It is particularly desired that every person, especially every officer 
and member of ForeignMission Societies and AssoeiaiionsyCind every^ 


4 


minisier and injluential individual,^ into whose hands this little book 
falls^ would not only read it with deep reflection^ but do what he can 
to engage others to read it^ and to extend its diffusion. Such as are 
able and disposed may render an essential service to the best of causes, 
by procuring some numbers of copies for distribution as they shall 
judge proper. 

The subject is as momentous as the salvation of uncounted mill* 
ions; the duty —as solemn as the final judgment. May the God 
of all grace crown this labour of love with his most efficacious bene¬ 
diction. 


» 



THE 


CONVERSION OF THE WORLD; 


PART I. 

U is the duty of the churche:s to send forth 'preachers of the 
gospel in such numbers as to furnish the means of instruc¬ 
tion and salvation to the whole world* 

How comprehensive and how rational is that pe¬ 
tition in the Lord’s prayer, ‘ Thy kingdom come, thy will 
be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’ What more could 
the most exalted piety ask ? what more could the most 
enlarged benevolence desire ? It includes the glory of 
God and the best good of all men. For when God 
shall reign on earth as he does in heaven, then will he 
appear in his glory, and then will there be peace on 
earth and good will among men. But at present how 
deplorable is the condition of mankind and how is the 
God of heaven dishonored in this revolted world! 
Idolatry and superstition prevail over the greatest part 
of the huraan race. The fairest portions of the globe 
are covered with Egyptian darkness,.filled with-wretch- 
edness and polluted with crimes! 

The gospel-of Christ is the remedy, which the wis¬ 
dom and mercy of God have provided for the disorders 
of our fallen world. It is a sovereign remedy. Where- 
ever it has yet prevailed, it has visibly meliorated 
the condition of men. It has rescued whole nations 


from the gross ignorance, and the cruel rites of idolatry; 
and it has purified great multitudes of successive gene¬ 
rations, from the pollutions of sin, and prepared them 
for the holy society of heaven. How desirable it is 
that the benign influence of this religion should be ex¬ 
tended over all the nations of the earth ! How desir¬ 
able that the renovating and saving power of the gos¬ 
pel should be experienced as extensively as the ravages 
of sin have been spread in our world ! 

To this end the Son of God was born ; for this end 
he lived, and died, and revived, and rose from the dead. 
Having commanded his apostles to go and teach all na¬ 
tions, he ascended to heaven there to reign till all ^he 
earth should be subjected to his authority. But though 
such is the benevolent design of the gospel; though in 
condescending to be born the Saviour designed to de¬ 
stroy the works of the devil and to recover all the na¬ 
tions of the earth from idolatry, sin, and wretchedness ; 
it is a melancholy fact that eighteen hundred years 
have passed away since his gospel was first promul¬ 
gated by himself and his apostles, and yet a small pro¬ 
portion only of the human race have received the heav¬ 
enly message. How shall we account for this fact ? 
If Christianity is from heaven, why is it not the religion 
of the world ? If it is the only remedy for the miseries 
under which the human race have groaned for six 
thousand years—if Jesus Christ is the only name un¬ 
der heaven given among men by which they can be 
saved—why do not all men every where invoke that 
sacred name ? 

TJie answer to these inquiries will readily occur to 
every reflecting mind. ‘‘ How shall they call on him, 
in whom they have not believed ?—and how shall they 
believe in him of whom they have lioX heard ?—and 
how shall they hear without a preacher f —and how 
shall they preach except they be sent Has the gos¬ 
pel been preached to all nations? We know it has 
not. Then we have a satisfa/^tory reason why all na- 


tions have not believed and obeyed the gospel. We 
Blight as reasonably expect the harvest without sow¬ 
ing the seed, as look for the conversion of the world 
without first preaching the gospel to all nations. 

In the Scripture as now cited, we are plainly taught 
that the gospel is to be propagated in the world, not 
by miraculous power, but in the ordinary way of in¬ 
struction ;—that the particular method of instruction 
which God has ordained for the conversion of the world 
is preaching, —and that it is the duty of Christians to send 
forth preachers of the gospel in such numbers as to furnish 
the meansof instruction and salvation to the whole world. 

That the gospel is to be propagated by instruction 
will be readily admitted by all. But there may be some 
diversity of opinion as to the kind of instruction to be 
pursued ; whether it should be the education of chil¬ 
dren in the principles of Christianity; or the distribu¬ 
tion of the Scriptures, or what is emphatically called the 
preaching of the word. Some may be disposed to 
place a greater dependence on one of these methods, 
and some on another. They are all doubtless the le¬ 
gitimate means of disseminating the gospel, and will 
each produce the greatest effect when they all proceed 
together, and are duly proportioned to each other. 
But every attentive reader of the w'ord of God must be 
convinced that the greater stress is there placed on 
preaching. When our Lord commanded that his king¬ 
dom should be established in all the world, the means 
which he pointed out for effecting the object was 
preaefiing the gospel to every creature; and St, Paul 
tells us that when the world by wisdom knew not God, 
it pleased God by the foolishness ofpreaching to save 
them that believe. It is fully implied in the declaration, 
that God has been pleased to appoint what the wisdom 
of this world esteems folly, viz. the preaching of the gos~ 
pel^ as the grand instrument and means of salvation in 
all ages even to the end of tke Christian dispensation* 


8 


In Christian countries the distribution of the Bibie 
obviously ought to be limited only by the . number of 
persons who are able to read it; but it would be an 
unwise application of the treasures of the Church to 
proceed according to this rule in Heathen and Mahom¬ 
etan countries. The Koran has long ago been trans¬ 
lated into English; but how many persons are there ii^ 
America that have read a single line of that book ? We 
mean not to disparage the inspired oracles by compar¬ 
ing them with the fictions of Mahomet; but we must 
remember that a Mussulman has no more respect for 
our Bible, than we have for his Koran ; and that an 
uninstructed Heathen has as little belief in our sacred 
writings as we have in his delusive Shasters. 

Preachers are wanted in the first place to call the 
attention of the ignorant and careless Heathen to the 
word of God;—secondly, to direct his mind to such 
parts of the sacred volume as are best adapted to his 
capacity and circumstances ;^thirdly to make expla¬ 
nations where the sense is not obvious and finally to 
enforce the truths of Scripture by argument and per¬ 
suasion. Without Christian teachers, an indiscriminate 
distribution of the Bible in Heathen and Mahometan 
countries would bebutlittle better than throwing it away. 
Some solitary instances of conversion there have been 
in Heathen and Mahometan lands, which were occa¬ 
sioned by reading the Bible only, hut there is no instance 
on record of: a ncUion being evangelized hy the Bible 
wUhout the preaching of the gospel, 

Bibles should by all means be circulated extensive¬ 
ly among the Heathen, but ministers of the gospel 
should be sent along with them. Thousands of Bibles 
may be sent with every preacher of the gospel; but 
they should not be sent alone. Sending teachers with¬ 
out the Bible was the error of the church of Rome; 
let it not be the error of Protestants to send the Bible 
without preachers. 

The present position is, is the duty of Christians-^ 


9 


to send forth preachers in sufficient mtmbers to famish 
the means of instruction to the whole world* 

It is ^he design of God that all the nations should 
be brought to the knowledge of Christ; the appointed 
means is preaching; and preachers must be sent* By 
whom then are they to he sent, and what number is^re* 
quired ? 

If Christian teachers are to be sent forth, it is obvi¬ 
ous that the Christian church must send them. We 
cannot suppose that the world will take up the business 
of propagating the religion of Christ, or that ministers 
are to expect a special commission from heaven direct¬ 
ing them to go to the Heathen; nor can we suppose 
that individuals will of their own accord and at their 
own discretion go and preach to the Heathen ; if they 
should do this, they would not answer the description 
which the apostle gives of Christian Missionaries, viz. 
persons that are sent* 

As to the number of preachers, the same reasons 
which prove the duty of sending one, equally prove 
the duty of sending as many as are requisite to fulfil 
the command of Christ, to preach the gospel to every- 
creature. 

If we send h?Jf a dozen Missionaries to a country 
where there are as many millions of souls, we are too 
apt to imagine that we have discharged our duty to that 
country—w'e have sent them the gospel. The fact 
however is, we have only sent the gospel to a few in¬ 
dividuals in that nation. The great body of the peo¬ 
ple never hear of our Missionaries or the religion they 
teach. The thing that Christ commands is to preach 
the gospel to every creature,—not merely to a few in¬ 
dividuals in every nation. 

Let us not deceive ourselves by general expres¬ 
sions and vague notions. Let us look at the simple 
fact. The Missionary goes to some part of the Hea¬ 
then world,—he selects a town or village, the best 
adapted to his object, and there he fixes his residence. 


When he has learned the language of the people^ he be¬ 
gins to preach to the inhabitants of the place where he 
resides, and he makes occasional excursions to the dis¬ 
tance of forty or fifty miles around him. If he is such 
a man as Brainard or Swartz, perhaps, in a populous 
country some hundred thousands may occasionally hear 
his voice in the course of his ministry ; but his labours 
are principally confined to a few thousands. 

That the number of Missionaries at present employ¬ 
ed in preaching the gospel among unevangelized nations 
is nothing like an adequate supply will be evident from 
a moment’s attention to the following general survey. 

Let the population of the globe be computed at. 
eight hundred millions. 

i^sia ...*•« 500,000^000 

Africa. 90,000,000 

Europe ..... 180,000,000 
America . . . ♦ . • 30,000,000- 


Total .... 800,000,000 

The number who bear the Christian name through¬ 
out the whole world may be ascertained with a sufficient 
degree of accuracy for the present pprpose. 

Europe, we know, contains the greatest part of the 
Christian population of the globe. After deducting 
about three millions of Mahometans, we may allow the 
whole remaining population of that quarter of the globe 
to be Christian in a very general acceptation of that 
term. 

In the United Slates of America there are about 
eight millions that may also be reckoned Christians. 
The Christian population of the European possessions 
in North and South America is not accurately determin¬ 
ed ; but it probably is not far from ten millions. If we 
include Abyssinia in the list of Christian nations, we 
may allow about three millions of Christians for the 
continent of Africa. 

The late Rev. H. Martyn, one of the English chap- 




11 


iains in Bengal, computed the Christians of all denom¬ 
inations in India and Ceylon at nine hundred thousand. 
If we allow one hundred thousand more for the islands 
in the Indian Ocean, and one million for Western Asia, 
we shall have a total in the whole of Asia, of two mil¬ 
lions. 

According to the foregoing estimate the Christian 
population of the world will stand as follows: 

In Asia. 2,000,000. 

Africa. 3,000,000. 

Europe .... 177,000,000. 

. America ..... 18,000,000. 


In all the world • . . 200,000,000. 

This amount deducted from the whole population 
of the earth leaves us six hundred millions of the hu¬ 
man race, to whom Christ has not yet been preached. 
If this calculation is at all correct, it demonstrates the 
melancholy fact, that in eighteen hundred years only 
about one fourth part of the world has been evangeli¬ 
zed ; and that, if the progress of the gospel should be 
no more rapid in future, than it has been hitherto, it 
will not be spread through the world in five thousand 
years to come. How distressing must this prospect be 
to every benevolent mind, to all who have been taught 
to say from the heart, ‘ Thy Kingdom comej^ Let us 
hope, however, and let us pray, that God in mercy to 
our miserable and guilty world, may cut short the reign 
of sin, and speedily establish the holy and peaceM 
kingdom of his Son over all the earth. 

But what exertions is the church of Christ now mak¬ 
ing for the advancement of the kingdom of her Lord ? 
What means are Christians using for the conversion of 
these six hundred millions of their fellow beings, for whom 
} Christ diedj^and to whom he commanded that his gospd 





should be preached ? What number of preachers have 
they sent forth to instruct this great multitude ? The 
number of Missionaries actually labouring for the con¬ 
version of six hundred millions of people is only about 
three hundred and fifty in all the world, that is, one 
preacher of the gospel to one million seven hundred 
thousand souls. 

The following is a pretty accurate list of all the 
Missionaries in the world, who have been sent by the 
churches in Europe and America to preach the gospel 
to the heathen not including native missionaries, or 
persons converted from heathenism, now preachers of 
the gospel. 

1. ASIA. 

Danish Missionaries in India ... 7 

Baptist Missionaries, Do. .... 20 
From the London Missionary Society, > 
in India and China .... 

From Do. in the islands of Otaheite 

and Eimeo. 

Wesleyan Methodist Missionaries in 

India .... . 

From the Church Missionary Socie¬ 
ty Do. 

From the American Board ofCommis-1 * i 

sioners for Foreign Missions, Do. \ ^ . 

From the American Baptist Board of } ■ 

Foreign Missions, Do. ... c ^ ' 

From Edinburgh Missionary Society, ) 1 

in Russian Asia • . . . , t ^ 1 

United Brethren in Do.. 

Total in Asia.. 

* In their estimates of the population of the world, Geographert 
differ widely. The above is nearly a medium estimate.—JEdi/or, ' 


16 

6 

10 






13 


2. AFRICA, 

. 21 

. . 30 

. . 8 
. • 2 

Total in Africa . . . .61 

3. AMERICA. 

In the W, Indies Wesleyan Methodists 40 


The London Society . . .5 

Baptist Society, (Eng.).3 

The United Brethren have in the W. ) 

^ Indies ..5 

South America ....... 15 

Greenland . •.. . 19 

Labrador.23 


Canada, and the United States . • 10 

American Board of Commissioners Sic. ) ^ 

to the Aborgines.5 

Other Missionaries from different Societies 7 

Total in America • . .194 


Africa.61 

Asia.102 


Total in the world^ . 357 


* From this estimate it appears that while America has only about 
one sixteenth part of the urievangelised population of the globe, she 
has the labours of more than one half of all the Missionaries in the 
world. This fact should bar the objection to the American chuiohes 
aending Missionaries to the Heathen in the East. 

It claims attention also that the United Brethren, (Moravians) 
few and feeble as they are, supply nearly one half of the Mis8ionarie€ 
now in the field ! only let other denominations do as much in pro¬ 
portion to their numbers and ability, and the gospel will soon b0 
preached to every creature. 

2 


The United Brethren have • . 

The London Missionary Society 
The Church Missionary Society 
Wesleyan Methodists . • . 









14 


Six hundred millions of the human race who want 
the gospel, and less than four hundred Missionaries to 
impart it to them ! It is thus O, ye disciples of Jesus, 
that you repay the debt of gratitude, which you owe 
to your Redeebaer! He died for you and all mankind. 
He called you by his gr^ce, delivered you from sin and 
hell, restored you to God, and inspired you with the 
blessed hope of everlasting life. Now he calls you to 
his service, and requires that henceforth you should 
live not to yourselves, but to him, who loved you and 
gave himself for you and washed you from your sins in 
his own blood. He confers upon you the singular hon¬ 
or, the high privilege of going as heralds before him in¬ 
to all the world, to proclaim his approaching reign, 
and call the nations to repentance. And is it so, that 
among the millions that bear the Saviour’s name only 
three or four hundred can be found who are willing to 
accept ctf this service ? It cannot be. There are, there 
must be, if the gospel is not a fable, if religion is not a 
dream, there must be thousands, in different parts of 
the Christian world, who are ready, whenever the 
churches shall call them forth to embark for any part of 
the world, to spend their lives in preaching the gospel 
to the Heathen, who are ready and willing “ to eudure 
all things for the elect sake, that they also may obtain 
the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal 
glory.” 

Let the churches, then consider the part that belongs 
to them in the business of evangelizing the world. It 
is their business to send forth preachers. 

Besides the Danish Mission in India which was begun in 1705,— 
the missions of the United Brethren, the first which was begun in 
1732,—and those of the Wesleyan Methodists, the first of which 
was begun in 1786,—all the rest have been commenced within little 
more than twenty years. About ninety Missionaries,—more than 
a quarter of the total number now in the field, and of all besides 
those of the United Brethren, nearly one half,—have been sent out 
within the last five years. Editor. 


15 


It the church should at length come to the reso¬ 
lution fully and immediately, to obey the Saviour’s com¬ 
mand, to teach all nations, what number of teachers must 
she send forth in order to accomplish the object ? 

If we allow only one Christian missionary to every 
twenty thousand souls throughout the unevangelized 
parts of the world, the claims of the different quarters 
of the globe will be as follows. 


Heathen popu¬ 
lation in 

Asia 498,000,000 . 

Africa 87,000,000 . 

Europe 3,000,000 . 

America 3 * 2,0005000 . 


Number of Missiona¬ 
ries required. 

. . 24,900 

. . 4,350 

. . 350 

. . GOO 


Total 600,000,000 


30,000 


Thirty thousand Missionaries for the whole world. 
Thus it appears that the number of Missionaries now 
in the field is to the number required, but little more than 
one to one hundred. With how much propriety may we 
say, “ the harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are 
few !” and how much occasion is there for praying the 
Lord of the harvest that he would send forth more la¬ 
borers into his harvest. 

In the United Slates the proportion of Christian 
teachers is probably not less than one to every two 
thousand souls.And can it be thought too much to al¬ 
low one teacher of Christianity to every twenty thous¬ 
and Pagans ? This is only a tenth part of the number 
that is thought necessary to watch over the churches 
and congregations in a Christian land. Is the work of 
converting the Heathen to Christianity, and guarding 
them against numerous and powerful temptations to 
apostacy, so much easier than that of preaching the 
gospel in Christian lands, as to warrant so great an 

* Including Christian teachers of all denominations, this estimate 
is low. Editor. 





16 


mequality in the distribution of the means of grace ? 
The very reverse is the truth. The work of a gospel 
minister in Heathen countries is inconceivably more 
laborious and difficult than that of the pastor of a church 
at home. 

But there is no need of laboring this point. Every 
r-eflecting person must see that if our object is to go 
into all the world and preach the gospel to every crea¬ 
ture, thirty thousand missionaries at least will be re¬ 
quired for this immense work. It may be more neces¬ 
sary to give the reason why the number is rated so 
low. 

We may observe then that one foreign Missionary 
to twenty thousand souls may be considered a tolera¬ 
ble supply, because that wherever the gospel is preach¬ 
ed and its power experienced, native preachers will be 
raised up on the spot to aid the Missionaries and ulti¬ 
mately to take the work off their hands. 

The Danish Missionaries on the Coromandel coast 
have raised up many native preachers, wffio have adorn¬ 
ed the Christian profession, and, have been able min¬ 
isters of the New Testament. 

The Baptist Missionaries in India have at the pres¬ 
ent time about fifty preachers in their connexion who 
have been converted and raised up in the country. 
They are of various descriptions, Europeans, halfcasts, 
Portuguese, Armenians, and converted Hindoos. The 
number of country preachers in this Mission is dou¬ 
ble the number of the Missionaries sent from Eng¬ 
land. As the work adv^ances, the proportion of coun¬ 
try preachers will probably increase. Where there 
shall be eight native preachers to every foreign Mis¬ 
sionary, and one foreign Missionary, to every twenty 
thousand souls, then the Heathen world will have as 
great a proportion of Christian teachers as the United 
States are supposed to have. May this happy time 
soon come. 



PART. IL 


The churches are able to furnish the requisite number of 
Missionaries for evangelizing all nations. 

The plain, positive, and unqualified manner in 
which Christ has commanded his disciples to preach 
the gospel in all the world to every creature, fully im¬ 
plies that he has furnished them with the necessary 
means of obeying the command; unless we should be 
so presumptuous as to suppose that Christ has com¬ 
manded an unreasonable and impracticable thing. 
How then can it be made to appear that the churches 
are able to furnish so great a number of Missionaries ? 

In the first place, no one, it is presumed, will pre¬ 
tend to say that, in al! Christendom, there are not so 
many as thirty thousand pious men of suitable age and 
talents, who might enter the Missionary field, if there 
were nothing to prevent them. Let it them be taken 
for granted that there are men enough; and what 
will be, as readily admitted, that America, according 
to her population, has her share of the men who might 
constitute the number of Missionaries. How many, 
therefore, of the requisite number of Missionaries can 
the American churches furnish ? 

It would be a moderate calculation to estimate the 
number of churches in America at four thousand.^ 
Again, it would be moderate to estimate the whole 
number of communicants in all the churches at six hun¬ 
dred thousand. Now could it bethought a heavy bur¬ 
den for a whole church of a hundred and fifty mem- 

* Five thousand and five hundred would come nearer the actual 
fact. 


18 


bers, uniting together in the object, to select and ed¬ 
ucate one young man for the Missionary work ? For 
the present, let it be admitted, that each church might 
easily thus educate a youth, and that seven years would 
be requisite in preparing him for the work. Then in 
the space of ^even years the four thousand churches 
would furnish four thousand Missionaries. 

in the next place, let it be admitted, that America 
contains one fourth part of the Christian churches, and 
that Great Britain and all the other European States, 
contain only three fourths, which will be considered as 
giving the former more than her just proportion. Then 
while the American churches provide four thousand 
Missionaries the European churches would provide 
twelve thousand, which added together, would amount 
to sixteen thousand Missionaries furnished every seven 
years. 

Now to make ample deduction for the mortality 
and defection of Missionaries, let it be supposed, that 
of all those who are sent forth at any given time, one 
third die or leave the work in seven years, two thirds ia 
fourteen, and the whole in twenty one years. After 
making this large allowance, still, if the whole number 
of sixteen thousand were sent every seven years it would 
appear ofrom accurate calculation, that in seven years 
from the time the churches begin to prepare the youth, 
there would be sixteen thousand Missionaries in the field, 
in fourteen there would be more than twenty six thous¬ 
and, and in twenty one years there would be more than 
thirty thousand labourers actually in the field. 

Here then is a plan, which, if eiiLered upon immedi¬ 
ately and executed with fidelity, would, in less than 
twenty one years, furnish such a number of Missionaries 
as would be, in a good degree, a supply for evangeliz¬ 
ing the whole world! Yes, this whole supply of labourers, 
vast as it may seem, might be furnished in so short a 
lime that many who are now exhorted to aid the object, 
might live to see it fully accomplished. And what 
would they see ? They would behold thirty thousand 


J9 


ambassadors of Christ, scattered over the face of the 
whole earth, preaching the w^ord of life to every crea¬ 
ture. What v^ould this be but the millennium,.that long 
e:xpected day, when the way of the Lord shall be 
known upon earth and his saving health among all na¬ 
tions ; and when from the rising of the sun even unto 
the going down of the same, the. name of Jehovah shall 
be great among the Gentiles, and in every, place 
incense shall be offered to his name, and a pure offer- 
ing, O glorious day ! and glorious that work which, 
is to usher it in. 

Eighteen hundred years ago, Christ gave to his 
disciples a most solemn charge to do this work. Why 
has it been so long neglected ? And alas ! why are his 
redeemed followers so much disposed, still to leave the 
work undone, and the nations to perish because-they 
neglect to do it ? 

While the blessed Ptedeemer is calling on his 
churches, immediately to do this work, and of course 
to employ in it an adequate number of labourers, does 
he make a hard and unreasonable demand ? Does he 
call them to great and distressing sacrifices ? Does he 
require the rich to sell all that they possess, and live 
in poverty, or the poor to renounce their comforts, and 
waste themselves in want and painful labours, in order 
to build up his holy kingdom throughout the wmrld ? 
Though he might justly require all this of those who 
are not their own, but bought with a price even wdth 
his own precious blood ; though the eternal salvation 
of a world of immortal beings; though tlie advance¬ 
ment of the divine glory throughout the earth, is an ob¬ 
ject worthy of even greater sacrifices than these ; yet 
the present plan which is to provide Missionaries for 
all nations requires no such sacrifices. In furnishing 
this adequate number, no greater sacrifices, no greater 
exertions are required, than that one hundred and fifty 
^pious persons, combining their means, should, in the 
course of seven years furnish one Missionary. 


But let the inquiry be more particular. Are the 
churches able to provide this number of Missionaries, 
and to support them after they have taken the field. 

It is granted that there are suitable men enough, if 
they were disposed to go, and if the churches were 
able to send them to the work. Now there are three 
ways in which Christians might furnish the requisite 
pecuniary aid, without depriving themselVes of their 
ease, their comforts, or the increase of their wealth. 
These are first a trifling increase of their industry; 
secondly a very little more frugality and self-denial, in 
their manner of living ; and thirdly, by appropriating 
a small part of their annual income to the object. 

The first of these resources would be abundantly suf¬ 
ficient for preparing the Missionaries, in the first in¬ 
stance, for the field. But can it be necessary to say 
a single word to show, that one hundred and fifty 
Christians, with hearts glowing with gratitude for their 
own redemption, and animated with desires and hopes 
of extending the same redemption to others, and for 
this purpose, conscientiously uniting in the support of 
one youth,—can a single word be necessary to show that 
they would find it an easy task ? 

Should each individual of the hundred and fifty, 
add that little to his accustomed diligence in business, 
which would, in the course of a year, gain him one dol¬ 
lar, that would amount to one hundred and fifty dol¬ 
lars annually in each church. This sum in ordinary 
cases, would be a comfortable support for a young 
man training up, in that rigid economy and self-deni¬ 
al, which the Missionary life demands. 

Or were each individual to increase his diligence a 
little farther so as thereby to gain in the course of a 
whole year two dollars, would this be a severity ? 
Might not the poorest day labourer arrange his busi¬ 
ness and add so much as this to his accustomed annu¬ 
al labour, without causing any perpetual increase of 
his daily toils ? Were this done, the avails would be 


most amply sufficient for the annual expense of prepare 
ing the Missionaries. 

Should it be said that some churches are so poor 
that they could do but very little, it might be answer¬ 
ed, that many churches are so rich that they could do 
very much, and so far alleviate the burden of their in¬ 
digent brethren, as to leave them only that little to do, 
which would save them from embarrassment and still 
give them a share in the glorious work. 

Besides there are several ways in which this burden, 
already light, would be still further lightened. 

In Christian countries many, who have not enjoyed 
the advantages of a collegiate education, enter the 
ministry and become highly respectable and useful. 
The same may be true with respect to missions, and in 
this way, much expense in the preparation of Mission¬ 
aries might be saved, should the poverty of the church¬ 
es require it. It must however be admitted that the 
more thoroughly the Missionary's furnished with sci¬ 
ence and general knowledge, the better he will be pre¬ 
pared for extensive usefulness. And it must moreover 
be obvious to a reflecting mind, that, if Christians are 
so poor that a part of their ministers must be illiterate 
really men, it would be much more judicious to employ 
such illiterate men among the enlightened churches at 
home, than to send them to plant churches in the midst 
of Pagan darkness abroad. 

Again, there are many wealthy persons, who might, 
each of them, as individuals, with perfect ease educate 
a young man for the work, and in other cases, two, 
three, or four persons, might unite together in doing 
the same. Much has already been done in this way, 
and if the subject were brought forward, and its impor¬ 
tance duly urged upon wealthy Christians, much more 
would no doubt be done. 

But what is much more encouraging, is the increase of 
Theological Seminaries and other charitable institu¬ 
tions of diflerent descriptions, in which pious young 


men may be educated for the ministry free of expense. 
These, in all probability, will continue to multiply, and 
be able, in a considerable degree, to relieve the church¬ 
es from the burden of preparing the Missionaries. 

In addition to these, many already prepared for the 
ministry, w^ould come forward and offer themselves as 
a part of the requisite number of Missionaries, and 
many more pious young men, were they suitably en¬ 
couraged, would prepare themselves for the same w ork 
at their own expense. 

These circumstances will all conspire, either to les¬ 
sen the trilling exertions of each church in furnishing 
the Missionaries, or to fill up the requisite number in a 
shorter time than that before mentioned. They cer¬ 
tainly show that the furnishing of the Missionaries for 
the field, if apportioned among all the churches, be¬ 
comes a task extremely moderate and easy. In a w'ord 
the demand appears too reasonable, the duty too sol¬ 
emn, too momentous, too obvious, to admit of argu¬ 
ment or deliberation. 

But suppose that the churches could furnish the nec¬ 
essary number of Missionaries, are they able to sup¬ 
port them after they have entered the field ? This is 
another important consideration. 

Three wmys have been mentioned by which Chris¬ 
tians may raise money for the support of missions. 
The first of these has been considered as devoted to 
the preparation of the Missionaries for their work, and 
the avails of the other two may be appropriated to 
their subsequent support. 

Let therefore the inquiry now be made, how much 
money, for the support of missions, might Christians 
annually raise, by a little more frugality and self- 
denial in their mode of living ? and secondly^ by con¬ 
secrating a small part of their annual income to the 
object ? 

Frugality and self-denial in the mode of living, arc 
here considered in application to decoration of build- 



ings, to dress, servants, and equipage, sugars, teas, 
wines, liquors, and other luxuries, and also to amuse¬ 
ments. Millions are annually expended on these things, 
and they are carried to that extent which causes, not 
only, an immense waste of money, but which is also 
injurious both to soul and body. So generally is this 
the case, that there is scarcely a family, nay, scarcely 
an individual, in the country, who by a little pious fru¬ 
gality and self denial in the use of these costly luxu* 
ries might not thereby annually save a considerable 
sum, and at the same time find it for his real comfort 
and benefit in the present life. And if his faith, for a 
moment, transports him forward to the day of judg¬ 
ment, what does he behold ? At the right hand of God 
he sees a vast multitude, collected from the ends of the 
earth. How came they there ? He now learns, that 
while himself was upon the earth, he, with many oth¬ 
ers, conscientiously moderated their use of the elegan¬ 
cies and luxuries of life, and employed these pious sav¬ 
ings in sending abroad that gospel, by which this mul¬ 
titude believea in Christ and have entered into life. 

Can such, he exclaims, can such be the fruits of those 
fittle, momentary self denials, which were made, while 
in the flesh ! O, blessed self-denials! and blessed be 
that grace which disposed me to make them ! How 
infinitely does this object transcend, in magnitude, the 
abolition of the slave trade, an object for which so 
many thousands of all ranks in England, cheerfully 
abandoned, “ as a moral duty,” the use of luxuries to 
which they had always been accustomed !^' 

* To discourage this infamous trade, and to promote its abolition, 
pamphlets were written “On the propriety of abstaining frcraW.India 
sugar and rum.” They inculcated abstinence from these articles as 
“ a moral duty.” With great zeal these pamphlets were distributed 
in different parts of.the country. The author, remarking on the ef¬ 
fects which tliey produced, and which fell under his own observation 
says, “ I may observe that there was no town through M-hich I pass¬ 
ed, in which there was not some one individual who had left off the 
use of sugar. In the smaller towns there were from ten to fifty by 



Bat with all the claims of this object on the one 
hand, and the great number of articles of living, in 
which expense might so easily be saved on the 
other, suppose that each individual Christian, on an 
average, saves, in the course of a year, no more than 
two dollars for the missionary treasury ; this alone, 
the number of Christians being 600,000, would give an 
annual sum of 1,200,000 dollars for the support of Mis¬ 
sionaries in the field. 

In the next place, suppose that the annual income 
of each Christian, on an avarage, is but twenty dol¬ 
lars, or that the excess of his earnings, above his 
expenses, amounts only to this small sum; and will not 
this estimation appear very low, when it is considered, 
that there is scarcely a day-labourer, who does not save 
more than this from the earnings of a year, and that 
many thousands of Christians gain ten times this sum ? 

Let then the average income of each Christian be put 
at twenty dollars a year. Then, supposing each one 
to devote but the tenth part of his income to the mis¬ 
sionary cause, this from the whole number of Chris¬ 
tians, would again amount to the annual sum of one 
million two hundred thousand dollars, which, added to 
the former sura, would give annually to the missionary 

estimation, and in the larger from two to five hundred vpho had 
made this sacrifice to virtue. These were of all ranks and parties. 
Rich and poor, churchmen and dissenters, had adopted the measure. 
Even grocers had left off trading in the article in some places. In 
gentlemen’s families, where the master had set the example, the 
servants had often voluntarily followed it; and even children, who 
were capable of understanding the history of the suflferings of the 
Africans, excluded, with the most virtuous resolution, the sweets, to 
which they had been accustomed, from their lips. By the best com¬ 
putation 1 was able to make from notes taken down in my journey 
no fewer than three hundred thousand persons had abandoned the 
use of sugar.” What a noble lesson for the mother to teach her 
children, that by abstaining in part from teas and sugars, and spices, 
and liquors, and the costly gewgaws of dress, they may aid in sav¬ 
ing the.souls of their fellow creatures from everlasting burnings.— 
Clarkson's History of the Abolition of tho Slave-Trade} Tol. 2, page 
349. 


treasury, no less than (wo millions four hundred thou¬ 
sand dollars. 

This snm would give to each of the four thousand 
Missionaries, who would be in the field the first seven 
years, an annual salary of six hundred dollars. *It 
would give more than three hundred and fifty dollars to 
each of the six thousand six hundred and sixty seven, 
who would be in the field in the second seven years, 
and it would give annually three hundred and twenty 
dollars to each of the seven thousand five hundred MiS" 
sionaries, which is that part of the whole thirty thousand 
which falls to the share of the American churches. 

Now there are several considerations to show that 
this little sum, contributed annually by each church, 
would be abundantly sufficient, without being in the 
least increased, not only for the salariCvS of the Mis¬ 
sionaries, but also for the other contingent expenses 
of the mission. 

In the first place^ it may well be hoped, that the 
smallest salary just stated, wffiich the annual mission¬ 
ary revenue gives even to the whole number of Mis¬ 
sionaries, would, on an average, be equal to their sup¬ 
port. This may be hoped, for two reasons. And Jirst^ 
because many Missionaries would go to those places, 
where living is so simple and cheap, and where the 
highest success of their mission would require them so 
far to labour as agriculturists, mechanics, and artisans, 
or as teachers and translators, as almost, or entirely to 
support themselves. The difference by wffiich their 
support would fall short of the average salary, being 
appropriated to the maintenance of Missionaries in more 
expensive stations, would, probably, make the average 
sum of three hundred and twenty dollars to each man, 
sufficient for the support of the w'hole. 

The second reason for supposing that this sum may 
be sufficient, is the probability, that, as yet the best 
system of economy, in the management of Protestant 
missions, has not been adopted. It will alw^ays be a 
3 


solemn duty, to seek the most economical methods of 
conducting missions. And while we inquire whether 
the churches are willing to contribute according to the 
self denying spirit of the gospel, it becomes us also to 
inquire whether Missionaries are willing to labour in 
the same self-denying spirit. No doubt, the deeper 
the churches drink of the cup of self-denial at home, 
the more effectually their Missionaries abroad will im¬ 
bibe the same heavenly spirit. 

Were that spirit, which excited, animated and com¬ 
forted the apostles and first Christians, in their unequal- 
ed self-denials, labours and sufferings, were that same 
spirit now duly to pervade the churches, what wonders 
it would soon produce, both among Missionaries in the 
field and their patrons at home ! How would the latter 
rejoice to give ‘‘ the half of their goods !” And how 
eagerly would the former go forth and preach the word 
of life, though they should be obliged to labour with 
their own hands, and receive from others but little, or 
nothing, for their support! 

How cheerfully would all unite in doing this, if there 
were no other way of sending the great salvation through 
the world ! And how pure, how exalted would be their 
consolation from the reflection, that in all they do and suf¬ 
fer in this cause, they are only treading in the footsteps 
of apostles and martyrs, of primitive Christians, and of 
the Saviour himself! As a motive for giving, what a 
noble pattern do Christians behold in the first believers 
under the Gospel; and as an example for Missionaries 
in their labours, what do they not behold in the pover¬ 
ty, the toils, and the self denials of Jesus and his 
apostles ! 

But to come nearer to our own age, let us look for a 
moment to that great and ancient church, whose cor¬ 
ruptions we must deplore, but whose liberality and zeal 
we should do well to imjtate. How have the Roman 
Catholic Christians, by their habitual liberalities, con¬ 
stantly kept their missionary treasury overflow ing with 



silver and gold I To say nothing of the millions, which 
they have expended in other countries, behold their 
magnificent churches erected from one extremity of 
India to the other ! Behold too the thousands of their 
Missionaries, travelling into all the earth, sustaining 
labours, privations, and sufferings, beyond a parallel 
in modern ages ! Behold them doing all this to extend 
the dominion of their church! Why will not Protes¬ 
tant Christians do as much to advance the glorious 
kingdom of their Redeemer among men ? If they would 
contribute a& liberally, there would be no doubt as to 
the support of Missionaries; and on the other hand, 
would Protestant Missionaries submit to such poverty 
and privations, as the catholic Missionaries have sus¬ 
tained, they would not find it difficult to bring their ex¬ 
penses within the limits of three hundred and twenty 
dollars annually to each man. It is maintained, how^ 
ever, that the Missionary’s usefulness will generally 
bC'in a great measure proportionate to the pecuniary 
aid, which he receives in prosecuting the various meth¬ 
ods of advancing Christian knowledge among the igno¬ 
rant. 

Again, to show that the missionary revenue, as be¬ 
fore estimated, would prove an adequate support for 
the number of Missionaries, we may consider, that 
from the time the plan is adopted, seven years are al¬ 
lowed for the preparation of the first four thousand Mis¬ 
sionaries ; consequently, none of the annual income of 
2,400,000 dollars, for the support of Missionaries in the 
field, would be expended during these seven years, but’ 
would go on accumulating and might be funded for fu¬ 
ture use. Besides, after the first four thousand enter' 
the field, for the seven following years, the income 
would exceed the salaries of the Missionaries, and still 
farther increase the fund in reserve. 

But what is still more, from the commencement of 
the work, to the time when the final number of Mission¬ 
aries to be supported would be in the field, is twenty 



Qne yea>'s. And this is about the period in which the 
population of the country doubles. If then the number 
of the pious should increase only in proportion to the 
general increase of the population, their number would 
be doubled also, and consequently, those resources for 
the support of missions, which have been named, would 
every way be doubled. 

In these calculations, no account has been made of 
legacies, private donations, or public contributions. 
Might it not reasonably be supposed, that these would 
add very considerable to the missionary funds? Nor 
has any calculation been made on the ground of faith. 
Ought not this to be done ? Did Christians set their 
hearts on the conversion of the whole world, and hum¬ 
bly, and earnestly exert thenjselves to accomplish it, 
would not a blessing from Heaven come upon them ? 
Would not He, who loves Zion with an everlasting love; 
—He, who sends forth his sun, and his rain, and causes 
the earth to yield her increase;— He, who holds the 
winds in his fists, and breaks or preserves the ships of 
Tarshish as he pleases ;—would He not bless them in 
their basket and in their store, and cause their wealth to 
come in like a flowing stream? If there w^re in his people 
a heart to build up Jerusalem, the beloved city of God, 
would He not bestow on them abundant means for do¬ 
ing it ? Ought not his people to cultivate a faith inHm, 
as strong as ^his ? Indeed if such a faith is not abso¬ 
lutely required of us, what can be the meaning of such 
promises as these ?—‘‘ There is that scattereth and yet 
increaseth. The liberal soul shall be made fat; and 
he that watereth shall be watered also himself.”"* Yea, 
when the common acclamation among the churches is. 

Let the people praise Thee, O God! let all the peo- 
})le praise Thee. O, let the nations be glad, and sing 
for joy.”t And when, with a corresponding zeal, they 
strive to make his way known upon earth and “ his 
saving health among all nations.” ‘‘ Then shall the 
* Prov, xi, 24, 25. t Paalm Ixvii. 3, 4. 


^9 

earth yield her increase ; and God, even our own God 
shall bless 

It should also be considered, that this great demand 
for Missionaries from foreign countries, must not be 
contemplated as a permanent demand. So ^ far as 
Christianity gains a fooling in any country, in the same 
degree will that country furnish is own ministers and 
the means of their support. It costs the heathen na- 
lions more to support idolatry than it would to support 
Christianity. Consequently, as fast as they become 
•converted they will be abundantly able to support the 
Christian religion among them, independent of foreign 
aid. Hence, when Christians enter fully into the great 
work of evangelizing the world, duly trusting in God 
for the success of their exertions, they may anticipate 
the time, as near at hand, when those pecuniary re¬ 
sources of the heathen, which have been so long pros¬ 
tituted to the support of their senseless idols, will be 
consecrated to the support of the holy religion of Jesus, 
and when the burden, which now lies upon the Chris¬ 
tian churches, will thus happily be removed. 

From such remarks as have now been made, does 
there not appear as much certainty, as the nature of 
such things can possibly admit, that if each Christian 
would contribute annually the small sum, which has 
been mentioned, it would be an abundant support for 
the requisite number of Missionaries, -as long as the 
demand should continue ? The smallness of this sum 
should be well considered. For the completion of the 
whole work, only five, or at most but six dollars, are 
required, on an average, from each Christian annually. 
He has three resources for raising this little sum, viz. a 
little addition to his accustomed industry; a little addi¬ 
tional frugality in hi^ style of living ; and the appro¬ 
priation of a small part of his annual income ; there be¬ 
ing, at the same time, many ways, by which the poorj, 

^'Psalm Ixvii. 6v i ■ 

3 *- 


were it necessar}^, might be relieved, even from this 
little sum, without burdening the rich. 

Is it possible to persuade Christians to do so much 
for the universal praise of their Redeemer, and the sal¬ 
vation of all nations ? Or will they reply by saying, 
“ True, the conversion of the world is an object infin¬ 
itely great and important; to effect it would bring ever¬ 
lasting glory to God; and both temporal and eternal 
felicity to an innumerable multitude of immortal beings; 
it is an object above all others desirable and dear to 
our hearts; we earnestly long to see it accomplished, 
and it is our daily, and most fervent prayer that il may 
50on be done. But it is certain that we cannot obey 
the divine injunction ; we cannot furnish the means 
necessary for accomplishing this work, without either 
adding something to our industry, without being more 
careful and sparing in our manner of living, or retard¬ 
ing the increase of our wealth, and very likely the com¬ 
pletion of the work would oblige us to deny ourselves 
in all these three ways. Now, can any one suppose, 
that it is our duty to suffer all this, and to sacrifice §o 
much merely for the sake of glorifying Christ, by pub¬ 
lishing his redeeming love among all nations for their 
salvation Monstrous impiety ! Who that pretends to 
he a Christian would not shudder to find such a thought 
in his heart! But monstrous as such language may 
seem, by what better plea can Christians excuse them¬ 
selves, for so long neglecting to send the glad tidings 
of the gospel throughout the earth V What else is the 
language of their present neglect of this duty ? 

Let Christians again and again, consider how very 
light the burden is which is laid on each individual; 
and on each church ; and which rs not to be increased 
throughout the whole progress of the work. Let them 
consider with what a trifling exertion they might raise 
the sum, and still be left in the possession of their ease, 
their comforts, and an increase of their abundance. 

This great demand for Missionaries, if hastily glanced 


3i 


at in the gross, may appear wild and visionary, but if 
deliberately viewed in the detail, can any thing appear 
more reasonable ? Can any thing be more obvious 
than the duty and the ability of the churches to fulfil it 
Is not the whole a sober, moderate calculation ? The 
great secret lies in persuading every Christian to do 
his part in the w'ork. And how easily^ how soon might 
this be done, would every one, w^hose office is to plead 
the cause of God among the churches, faithfully and 
perseveringly urge upon the consciences of his people, 
the claims, which their crucified Redeemer, and their 
perishing fellow men, have upon.their liberality, and 
their exertions ; and the infinite privilege of becoming 
co-workers with Christ, in building up his everlasting 
kingdom. 

Yes, the whole calculation is a moderate one. Let 
the churches examine and deliberate ; let Christians in 
their conferences, their families, and their closets, scru¬ 
tinize every part of it. And let each one inquire sol- 

* What! is it wild to have bowels of compassion for sis hundred 
millions of our fellow men, bone of our bone, and desh of our desb, 
who are dying in their sins and sinking into hell? Is it wild to 
obey the command of Christ, and go and preach the Gospel to them 
for their salvation ? Is it visionary to suppose that among two hun¬ 
dred millions of Christians, there are thirty thousand pious men, 
who might go throughout the earth, and publish to condemned 
sinners the glad tidings of pardon and everlasting life ? Is it 
visionary to suppose that each Christian on an average might annu¬ 
ally contribute five or six dollars, which‘would be enough to spread 
the unsearchable riches of Christ over the whole world ?t Is it en¬ 
thusiastic earnestly to desire that this work, of saving a world of im¬ 
mortal beings from everlasting burnings, should be done without any 
farther delay ? 

+ This calculation supposes thi^t only one to ten or eleven, out of 
those that are called Christians, contribute to the object. If through¬ 
out Christendom each Christian were to give annually only twenty 
five cents it would be more than .f; support for the 30,000 Missiona¬ 
ries ! 


^iniily with bimseif, whether he might not,- in the three 
ways, which have been mentioned, raise his annual 
contribution, without any material variation of his ease, 
his comforts, or the increase of his fortune ? 

If Christians would deliberately examine and weigh 
th^^subject, it is believed, that their consciences would 
not suffer them to do less, than what is now proposed; 
and considering how infinitely great and glorious the 
object is, and bow abundant their ability, it is not easy 
to see how their consciences would allow them to be so 
slow in fulfilling the great command of their Redeemer. 
The work is truly a stupendous work. Taken up by 
a few individuals it is impracticable ; but shared among 
the whole multitude of Christians, the burden would 
certainly be very light. 


PART 111. 

S brief view of some of the most important openings for the^^ 
•. extension of the Redeemer's Kingdom, 

^HOUGH it is the duty of the Christian world to inv 
paft the gospel to all unevangelized nations, yet some 
parts of the world have a greater claim to our immedi¬ 
ate attention than others. For instance, in regard to 
the propagation of the gospel through the world, the 
isIan,d.of Qeylon in the East Indies is more important 
than t( 0 ;uisia,n&^in North America. The former is the 
more iinportah| |>lace for several reasons : Because 

Ceylon contaihs^iwo or three millions of people within 
the compass of a few hundred miles, w^hile Louisiana 
contains not more than a huudred and fifty thousand, 
scattered over ,a country afcout twenty times as large. 
2, Ceylon lies in the neighbourhood of an extensive 
and populous heathen country, and if the gospel should 
be~ established in that island, it would naturally spread 


83 


into the neighbouring regions ; the relative situation 
Louisiana is not so important as respects the spread of 
the gospel. 

Beside the population and relative position of coun¬ 
tries, there are several other circumstances to be con¬ 
sidered in making a selection out of the numerous mis¬ 
sionary fields which the world contains: such as the 
comparative salubrity of difiei ent climates ; the facili- ' 
ties which different countries aftbrd for disseminating 
religious knowledge; the condition of the people, 
whether savage or civilized, the nature of their gov¬ 
ernments, whether despotic or mild, &c.—Until there 
shall be a sufficient number of Missionaries to supply 
all parts of the vyorld, it will be our duty to select the 
most important places first. To do this requires much 
information and much reflection. The Moravians, 
while they have set a pattern to all other Christians 
for zeal, and patience, and perseverance, seem to 
have erred in many instances in the choice of their 
fields of labour. They have in general chosen the two 
extremes of heat and cold, and have sent great numbers 
of Missionaries to thinly peopled countries ; while ma¬ 
ny of the finest climates and most populous regions of 
the globe have in the mean time lain quite neglected^ 
There is no part of the world, from the pinching cold 
of the frigid zone, to the burning plains of the equator, 
to which Missionaries mu^t not, ultimately, go; but 
while almost the w'hole world lies before us unoccupi¬ 
ed, we ought not to choose the less eligible^, in prefer¬ 
ence to the more eligible places. 

Without attempting to determine precisely what 
places are the most important, as fields for missionary 
exertions, we may mention the following as interesting 
and worthy the immediate attention of the Christian 
public. 

First. The northern and western parts of the conti¬ 
nent of Asia. 

From the Indus to the Mediterranean, and from the 


84 


gulf of Ormuz to the Caspian Sea, there is not a-single- 
Protestant Missionary, Within these limits there are 
probably fifty or sixty miHions of people, destitute of 
the gospel, immersed in gross ignorance, and led away 
by the delusions of Mahomet. Scattered over these 
regions are not less than a million of Armenian, Syrian 
and Greek Christians, in general destitute of the Bible, 
destitute of spiritual light and life, and on the whole 
but little better in any respect than their Mahometan 
masters* What a field for the benevolent exertions of 
enlightened Christians! How much good might be 
effected by endeavouring to revive pure religion and 
Christian Knowledge in these eastern churches, vene¬ 
rable for their antiquity, their situation, and their ori- 
gin. 

Siberia, Tarlary, and the northern parts of China 
form another immense theatre for missionary opera¬ 
tions : a field as yet unexplored and uncultivated. 

AJl these regions merit particular attention at. the 
present moment, because Providence seems to be pre¬ 
paring the way for the dissemination of the gospel in this 
quarter of the world. In proof of this remark we may 
mention three facts : first, the recent translation of 
the New Testament into Persian and Turkish;— sec* 
Gndly, the reprinting of the Armenian Bible both in 
India and Russia and the effort that appears to- be 
making in Armenia for the revival of Oriental learning 
and the introduction of the arts and improvements of 
the West \^thirdly, the foundation of Bible Societies 
in different parts of the Russian empire. 

The New Testament has been translated into Turk¬ 
ish, a language spoken by thirty millions of people in 
the western regions of Asia. This work was done by 
Scotch Missionaries at Karas. It has been printed 
and is now in circulation. 

The Rev. H. Martyn, one of the English chaplains 
in India, travelled from that country into Persia in 
1810 ; and after residing sometime at Shiraz, where he 


completed a translation of the New Testament in Per¬ 
sian, he pursued his travels through Syria into Asia 
minor where he died at Tokat, near the Black Sea, in 
the latter end of 1811. 

The following is the translation of a letter from the 
king of Persia, on receiving a copy of Mr. Martyn’s 
Persian translation of the New Testament ? viz. 

“ In the name of the Almighty God, whose glory is 
most excellent. 

“ It is our august command, that the dignified and 
excellent, our trusty, faithful, and loyal wellwlsher, Sir 
Gore Ousely, Baronet, his Britannic Majesty’s Ambas¬ 
sador Extraordinary (after being honoured and exalted 
with the expressions of our highest regard and con¬ 
sideration) should know that the copy of the Gospel 
which was translated into Persian by the learned ex¬ 
ertions of the late Rev. Henry Martyn, and which has 
been presented to us by your Excellency on the part 
of the high dignified, and enlightened Society of Chris¬ 
tians, united for the purpose of spreading abroad the 
Holy Books of the religion of Jesus(upon whom and upon 
all prophets be peace and blessings) has reached us 
and has proved highly acceptable to our august mind. 

“ In truth, through the learned and unremitted ex¬ 
ertions of the Rev. Henry Martyn, it has been transr, 
lated in a style most befitting the Sacred Books, that 
is, in an easy and simple diction. Formerly the four 
Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were 
known in Persia ; but now the whole of the New Tes¬ 
tament is completed in a most excellent manner; and 
this circumstance has been an additional source of 
pleasure to our enlightened and august mind. Even 
the four Evangelists, which were known in this coun¬ 
try had never been before explained in so clear and 
luminous a manner. We therefore have been particu¬ 
larly delighted with this copious and complete transla¬ 
tion. Please the most merciful God, we shall com¬ 
mand the Select Servants, who are admitted to our pres- 


36 


ence, to read to us the above mentioned book from the 
beginning to the end that we may, in the most minute 
manner, hear and comprehend its contents. 

‘‘Yoiir Excellency will be pleased to rejoice the hearts 
of the above mentioned dignified, learned and enlighten¬ 
ed Society with assurances of our highest regard and ap¬ 
probation ; and to inform those excellent individuals 
who are so virtuously engaged in disseminating and 
making known the true meaning and intent of the Gos¬ 
pel and other points in Sacred Books, that they are 
deservedly honoured with our royal favour. Your Ex¬ 
cellency must consider yourself as bound to fulfil this 
royal request—Given in Rebialavil, 1229. 

(sealed) “ Fateh Ali Shah Kajar.” 

Although we cannot with safety infer much from a 
public transaction of this nature; yet taken in con¬ 
nexion with several other facts, it certainly affords us 
ground to hope that prudent attempts to spread the 
gospel in Persia by distributing and explaining the sa¬ 
cred Scriptures would not be attended wdth so much 
danger as we have hitherto supposed. 

The Persians, we know^, are the loosest sect of the 
followers of Mahomet. It is also well known that the 
Koran acknowledges Moses, David, and Jesus as 
prophets of the true God. Indeed Mahomet has incor¬ 
porated so much of the Jewfish and Christian systems 
with his own, that the late Sir William Jones consid¬ 
ered the Mahometans as a sect of corrupt and heretical 
Christians. 

Mr. Martyn resided at Shiraz, a principal city in 
Persia, in perfect safety ; though it was known that he 
was a Christian minister and that he was then engag¬ 
ed in preparing a version of the Christian Scriptures 
in the Persian language. The literati of Shiraz even 
offered to assist him in the work. Should any one at¬ 
tempt to make a translation of the Christian Scriptures 
in the Christian countries of Spain or Portugal he 


37 


would probably be thrown into the dungeon of the in¬ 
quisition. 

From the letter above quoted it appears that the 
four Gospels have long been known in Persia; and 
from the manner in which the king speaks of them, we 
have no reason to think that any prohibition was ever 
laid on the circulation and reading of them. 

There are Christians of several denominations in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the Persian empire, who have their 
churches and their priests. The Rev. Mr. Sabastiani, 
a Roman Catholic clergyman, resided eighteen or twen¬ 
ty years in the midst of Persia. He went to Bengal 
in 1812 with a translation of the New Testament 
which he had made in the Persian language. It is now 
printed or is in the press at Serampore. 

From all these facts may we not safely conclude 
that in the Persian empire, neither the circulation of 
the Christian Scriptures nor the preaching, of the gos¬ 
pel is prohibited by law ? this is more” than we can 
say of many countries that are called Christian. 

Another auspicious event for western Asia is, the re¬ 
printing of the Bible in the Armenian language, at Se- 
rampore, and by the Russian Bible,Society, in large 
editions. 

From recent accounts from Armenia, it appears that 
a number of noble and wealthy families in that coun¬ 
try are combining their efforts for the restoration of 
learning and the dissemination of knowledge among 
their countrymen. The Bible will no doubt prove a 
timely and welcome gift on this account, and will con¬ 
tribute in no small degree to the advancement of learn¬ 
ing and improvement among them, and may we not 
hope that the circulation of the Scriptures in Armenia, 
will be the means of effecting a revival of true religion 
among that ancient and interesting people. 

The church of Armenia may be rendered an impor¬ 
tant instrument in the work of evangelizing the western 
parts of Asia. Divine Providence has placed that. 

4 




38 


primitive Church in a most important situation ; and 
has preserved it many centuries in the midst of a nu¬ 
merous people who are yet aliens from the Christian 
community and strangers to the hope of the gospel. 

The glory of this Church has indeed long since de¬ 
parted ; but if, after sitting so many ages in the dust, 
she should at length arise and shine as in former days, 
it would be like life from the dead ! All the regions of 
Western Asia would behold her light, and fifty millions 
of people, now sitting in darkness would be cheered 
by her beams. From Armenia the word of life would 
naturally advance into Persia, Mesopotamia, Syria, Pal¬ 
estine and Asia Minor; and thus, without a Crusade, 
thi^ Church of Christ might recover those long lost re¬ 
gions, where the light of divine truth first dawned upon 
the world, where the Saviour was born, and where the 
standard of the cross was first planted. 

If then we dare not attempt a Mission in Persia, for 
the avowed purpose of converting the Mussulmans ; 
let Missionaries be sent into Armenia, where there is 
ample scope for Missionary labours among a people 
already professing the Christian religion. Let them 
endeavour to establish Bible Societies, in order that the 
people at large may be supplied with the Scriptures;— 
let them assist in the establishment of schools for the 
general instruction of children and seminaries of a 
higher order for the education of youth, particularly 
those who are intended for the ministry;—let them es¬ 
tablish a printing press for the constant publication of 
the scriptures and other useful books ; and by every 
prudent measure let them aid that people in their ef¬ 
forts to introduce the knowledge and improvements of 
other countries; but let their ultimate and main object 
be to rekindle the flame of religion and restore the light 
of truth in the Armenian Church ; and if God should 
grant a blessing on their labours, let them then form a 
Missionary Society for the propagation of the gospel in 
al*l the g*JiTaunding countries. 


39 


So far with a common blessing we may proceed, 
without any particular danger or difficulty ; and when 
we have done this, we may confidently expect that 
Providence will give us more to do. 

There are many other Christians in this part of the 
world whom we ought to seek out, that we may learn 
their wants and supply them and bring them forward to 
aid in the w’ork of s^preading the gospel around them. 

The late proceedings in Russia wear a most cheer¬ 
ing aspect in regard to the propagation of the gospel in 
the nothern and western parts of Asia. At , St. Peters¬ 
burg, Moscow, and other principal places in the em¬ 
pire, Bible Societies have been formed whose presi¬ 
dents are princes and nobles, whose patron is the Em¬ 
peror himself. These Societies are proceeding with 
as much vigour as those in any other part of Europe. 

The following are brief extracts from the Moscow 
Auxiliary Bible Society’s address to the public. 

“ It is a lamentable fact that till of late few institutions 
have ever been formed fur the purpose of promoting the 
real knowledge of the gospel not only among those na- 
tions to whom the faith of Christ has never been preach- 
ed, but even among Christians themselves. England, 
before all other nations, appears to have felt the impor¬ 
tance of this great and sacred duty, to spread the light 
of the glorious gospel among all her numerous subjecis, 
and to cause its rays to enlighten the uttermost parts of 
the earth, 

“Russia, distinguished by her attachment to the 
faith and obedience to the laws, has at this time turn¬ 
ed her attention towards the establishment of similar 
benevolent Societies, and sincerely desires to behold the 
doctrines of the gospel spread among the many different 
jiations that compose her numerous subjects—nations in¬ 
habiting the vast extent of country from the banks of the 
Vistula to the shores of America /” 

They say further, “ it is the real interest of the ml- 
i ■ 



^0 


ers of the earth to countenance the dissemination of 
the Holy Scriptures.” 

These sentiments, coming as they do from the cler¬ 
gy, the nobility and the princes of the empire, may be 
-eonsidered as the sentiment of the Russian government. 
Indeed the Societies say expressly that what they are 
doing is “ to promote the benevolent views of their 
sovereign.”’^ 

Russia then has in the most unequivocal terms de¬ 
clared in favour of the spread of the gospel, not only 
among “ Christians themselves” but also “ among those 
nations to whom the faith of Christ has never been 
preached.” She “ sincerely desires to behold the doc^ 
trtnes of the gospel spread among the many different 
nations that compose her numerous subjects ;—nations 

^ Extract of a Utter from the Rev. Ebeneser Henderson, dated, 

Bible Society's Home Si. Petersburg; Juried, 1817. 

“ Yesterday was celebrated the Fourth Anniversary of the 
Russian Bible Society. Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of 
•the weather, and the inconvenient situation of the Taurian Pala<5e 
(in one of the magnificent halls of which the meeting was held,) it 
was computed to have been three times more numerously attende(i 
than it was last year. Many of the most distinguished personages, 
both in church and state, honoured the meeting with their presence. 
Representatives from most of the nations for whom we are prepar¬ 
ing editions jf the sacred Scriptures; such as Russians, Armeni¬ 
ans, Georgians, Greeks, Moldavians, Finns, Poles, Esthonians, Livo¬ 
nians, Germans, and French, were assembled to take a part in the 
ceremony, and listen to the interesting details of the publication of 
the word of God in their respective languages. 

“ You will recollect the very important resolution passed at the. 
second meeting of the Committee of the Russian Bible Society, pur¬ 
porting, that they should not consider themselves to have obtained the 
object of their institution^ till they had provided 'with a Bible every 
family.^ and if possible every individual in the Russian Empire. With 
what ardour they are pushing forward to tl>e attainment of this ob- 
iect, and accelerating the complete redemption of their pledge, will 
be seen, when it is stated, that, from the establishment of the Soci¬ 
ety to the present time, its Committee have either published, or are 
engaged in publishing, no fewer than forty three editions of the Sa¬ 
cred Scriptures, in Seventeen different languages, forming a gran4 
total of 186,000 copies.” Editor. 




41 


inhabiting the vast extent of country from the banks of 
the Vistula to the shores of America,” and calls it “ a 
sncred duty to cause the benign rays of the gospel (o 
enlighten the uttermost parts of the earth !” 

Let ns hail the public avowal of such sentiments 
from the imperial throne of Russia, as a new era in 
the progress of Christianity ; and let us hope that that 
nation will ere long become an important instrument in 
the work of evangelizing the world. And these are not 
mere empty professions. Russia has for several years 
protected and patronized the important Christian mis¬ 
sions, established by the Edinburgh Missionary Society, 
in the southern provinces of her empire; without ever 
expressing a fear that revolt and ruin and destruction 
would be the consequence of attempting to convert her 
Heathen and Mahometan subjects. 

Consider the vast extent of the Russian empire and 
the numerous, unevangelized nations that lie within its 
limits. Observe its relative situation. Its southern 
frontiers extend from the Black Sea across the whole 
continent of Asia to the Pacific Ocean, bordering in the 
whole of this extent on three of the greatest empire^ 
in the world, the Turkish, Persian and Chinese empires, 
that are computed to contain upwards of four hundred 
millions of souls, about two thirds of all the unevange¬ 
lized population of the globe ! 

This mighty empire has declared it to be the “ real 
interest’^^ of the rulers of the earth to countenance the 
dissemination of the Holy Scriptures, and pronounces 
it to be a “ sacred dut'f'^ to cause the benign rays of 
Christianity to enlighten the uttermost parts of the 
earth.” 

We can hardly reflect a moment on these things 
without feeling the impression, that Russia is the door 
io some of the most important Missionary fields in the 
W’orld ; and that she is destined by Providence to have 
a principal hand in publishing the gospel to all the 
nations of|heearth. Happy country! Highly favour- 


ed of God, to have it so much in her power to extend 
the knowledge of the only tri:^ religion, and blessed be 
that God who holds the hearts of kings in his hand 
for inclining her to favour the kingdom of his Soq. 

But what are the inferences to be drawn from these 
facts ? Shall all the rest of the Christian world sit still 
^nd wait for the Christians in Russia to commence and 
carry on the work of evangelizing four hundi’ed mil¬ 
lions of people ? No. The voice of Providence calls 
upon Christians every where to go immediately to their 
aid ; and the friendly relation which subsists between 
this country and Russia, is a circumstance which calls 
the American churches in particular to embrace the 
new and extensive openings in that quarter of the 
globe. There are three important Missions already 
established in the southern provinces of the Russian 
empire, at Karas, at Astrachan and at Orenburg—un¬ 
der the direction of the Edi nburgh Missionary Society. 
These Missions have already produced a complete ver¬ 
sion of the New Testament into the Tartar language, 
which has been printed and is no\v in circulation, and 
widely distributed. 

Missionaries, as before observed, might be sent into 
these countries for the purpose in the first place of re¬ 
viving religion among nominal Christians; but ulti¬ 
mately to extend the blessings of the gospel to the 
Mahometans and Heathens. 

Two other establishments at least ought to be form¬ 
ed immediately; one on the frontiers of Persia, and 
another on those of China ; the latter, perhaps, might 
be fixed, at Irkutsk"^ or at Kiatka the centre of the com., 
merce between Russia and China, where (though it i^ 
near the shores of the Pacific Ocean), there are a num¬ 
ber of subscribers to the Russiafi Bible Societies ! 

Though these establishments would be wUhin thq 
limits of Russia, their object would be to evangelize 
the northern provinces of the Turkish, Persian, and 

* The London Missionaiy Society is now engaged in eslablishifi^ 
a mission at Irkutsk. Editor, 



48 


Chinese empires. The Russian empire itself, in the 
whole extent of its southern frontier is unevangelized ; 
missionary establishments, therefore just on the boun¬ 
dary line between Russia and the three great empires 
above mentioned, while they would be the means of 
spreading the gospel in the unenlightened parts of Rus^ 
sia, would possess nearly the same advantages for 
evangelizing the nothern parts of Turkey, Persia and 
China, as if they were actually within the limits of those 
countries. Our object should be not so much to spread 
the gospel in Russia as to make Russia the door to China, 
Persia and Turkey: and it is obvious from a glance at 
the map of Asia, that there is no opening into those 
countries so extensive as that from the South of Rus¬ 
sia."^ 

From the primary establishments above proposed, 
new ones might from time to time branch out to the 
east and to the v/est, (still keeping, if necessary, just 
within the limits of Russia, and availing ourselves of 
her powerful protection,) until a connected line of 
Missions shall be formed, extending through the heart 
of Asia from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacitre 
Ocean. 

The Scriptures or parts of the Scriptures are already 
prepared in the three principal languages that prevail 
through this yast extent of country, viz. the Turkish, 

* An attentive examination of the geography of the world cannot 
fail to inspire the pious mind with a lively sense of the wisdom and 
goodness of God in so determining the bounds of the habitations of 
men that they should seek the Lord. Almost five sixths of all the 
Heathens in the world are‘on the continent of Asia. See how God 
has provided for their conversion from idolatry to the true religion. 
On the north, he has given the dominion to imperial Russia across 
the whole continent from the banks of the Vistula to the shores of 
America, and has thus brought a mighty Christian power into con¬ 
tact with the principal Heathen and Mahometan powers in Asia. 
In the South he bas planted another Christian power which reigns 
over fifty millions of Heathens, and is connected (by political rela¬ 
tions) with a hundred millions more. 'I’hus the 500 millions of Hea¬ 
then in Asia are placed by an allwise Providence between two pow¬ 
erful Christian empires. 


44 


Persian and Chinese. But these Bibles cannot bedisr 
tributed lo any considerable extent until preachers 
are found to go with them ; nor is it very desirable that 
they should be ; for who ever heard of a Heathen na¬ 
tion being converted to Christianity without the preach¬ 
ing of the gospel ? and when did a people ever become 
readers of the Bible, before they were converted from 
idolatry ? 

The Heathens in the Russian empire seem to be 
more prepared than in any other part of the world to 
receive the scriptures. Their Heathen prejudices are 
comparatively weak, and the residence of Russian 
Christians among them has probably made them ac¬ 
quainted with the outlines of the gospel, and in some 
of them there appears to be a desire to be better in¬ 
structed. 

In letters from St. Petersburgh it is said, that among 
the subscribers to the Russian Bible Societies, there is 
a long list of Heathens in Siberia, some of them inhab¬ 
itants of Kiakta, and Tzuruchatu, places where the 
Russians and Chinese meet for trade. In particular, 
three Heathenprinces diVe vneuXioned “who have sent 
tn considerable sums to the assistance of the Society, 
thus calling aloud on the friends of Christianity, ‘ Come 
over and help usJ^ One from a distant pr-ovince sent 
in money and begged to have some Tartar Testa¬ 
ments to distribute among the poor people for whose 
salvation he was anxious.” 

The British and Foreign Bible Society, understand¬ 
ing that a channel of conveyance w^as likely to be open¬ 
ed through Russia to the Chinese empire have ordered 
a supply of the Chinese Scriptures both from Seram- 
pore and Canton, in order to be forwarded to Russia, 
and placed at the disposal of the St. Petersburgh Bible 
Society, All these facts are so many loud and press¬ 
ing calls for the ministers of Christ to hasten to this in¬ 
teresting field, where there are such wonderful open¬ 
ings for the propagation of the gospel. Every thing 


seems to conspire to recommend this quarter of the 
globe as the scene of a new and great attempt to evan¬ 
gelize the world. 

Here there is a powerful Christian government, able 
and disposed to afford protection to Christian Mis¬ 
sionaries ;—here is a healthy climate’^ Jyii^g wholly 
within the northern temperate zone and free from the 
extremes of heat and cold 5—here through innumerable 
doors you may enter three of the most extensive em¬ 
pires in the world; empires supposed to contain four 
hundred millions of people, half of the whole popula¬ 
tion of the globe, and two thirds of all the unevangel¬ 
ized population of the world ;—and the very Heathens 
and their kings, from the northern frontiers of China, 
and near the Pacific Ocean, are subscribing to the Bi- 
fcle Societies and calling for Christian instruction. Is 
not this the voice of Providence ? Can it be misunder¬ 
stood by the attentive, prayerful, and reflecting Chris¬ 
tian, whose chief desire is that the kingdom of God 
may come, and his will be done on eartn as it is in 
heaven ? 

Second field. The eastern coast of Africa, includ¬ 
ing Egypt, Abyssinia and the island of Madagascar, 
presents another extensive and interesting field, for the 
propagation of the gospel. This important field, like 
the one just mentioned, lies at present entirely neglect¬ 
ed. No Missionary has yet been established in any of 
these countries. Dr. Vander Kemp projected a mis¬ 
sion to Madagascar, but was called home by his divine 
master before he had time to carry it into effect.t 

There are several circumstances which call the at¬ 
tention of Christians to these regions of Pagan and Ma- 

* The southern boundary of the Russian empire falls generally be- 
tweea the 42d and 50th degrees of north latitude. Here the Chris¬ 
tian Missionary from Great Britian and the United States may find 
the climate of his native place. 

t The London Missionary Society has beea for some time prejia?- 
ing a mission to JVladagascar. 



46 


liometan darkness. The eastern coast of Africa and 
the island of Madagascar have long been the scene of 
the vile traffic in human beings which has lately been 
abolished by most of the civilized nations of the world. 
Christians have now an opportunity of repairing, in 
some degree, the wrongs *ihey have done the poor Af¬ 
ricans for centuries past. They have formerly torn 
them away from their friends and native land and carried 
them into slavery;—instead of any longer approaching 
their shores in slave ships, armed with hostile weapons 
and furnished with the instruments of bondage, they may 
send them the peaceful message of the gospel and impart 
to them that liberty with which Christ has made them free. 

De la Goa Bay, Sofala, Mosambique, Quiloa, and 
Melinda, on this coast, are places well known to the 
commercial world. Some of them are populous and 
healthy- The Portuguese have an establishment at 
Mosambique, and carry on a constant trade between that 
place and Goa. From Goa and also from the Isle of 
France Missionaries may find conveyance to most of 
the places on the eastern coast of Africa and to the isl¬ 
and of Madagascar. Between Madagascar and the Isle 
of France the communication is constant as the English 
at the Mauritius receive all their supplies of cattle from 
Madagascar. 

As to the practicability of establishing missions in the 
places above mentioned and the facilities they may af¬ 
ford for the propagation of the gospel, we can never 
have perfect satisfaction without making the experi¬ 
ment. The hazard is certainly greater there than in 
those parts of the Heathen world, which are under the 
dominion or in the neighbourhood of a Christian gov¬ 
ernment; and Missionaries who go there ought to go 
prepared to meet with severe trials and to suffer great 
hardships. 

Another circumstance which calls the attention of the 
Christian world to the eastern parts of Africa, is the 
existence of a nation professing the Christian religion 


47 

in the midst of this region of Pagan and Mahometan 
darkness. 

In Abyssinia, the Christian religion has existed ever 
since the middle of the fourth century. But from all 
the accounts we have of that people, we must conclude 
they are but little if any better than their Heathen and 
Mahometan neighbours. The clergy are said to be 
deplorably ignorant and immoral. They have the Bi¬ 
ble in the ancient Ethiopic, which is not at all under¬ 
stood except perhaps, by some of the priests. Two 
principal languages are spoken in the Abyssinian em¬ 
pire, into which it is desirable that the Bible should be 
translated, that the people may learn the religion they 
profess. The Calcutta Auxiliary Bible Society have 
lately been endeavouring, but without success, to obtain 
a number of Abyssinian youths, to be educated in India 
and sent back to their native country with a view to the 
introduction of the Scriptures among that people in their 
vernacular tongue. 

The English have lately sent an embassy to Abys- 
sinia for the purpose of opening a trade between that 
country and Great Britain, and the plan will probably 
be carried into elfect. This sequestered Christian na¬ 
tion, which has for so many ages been almost unknown 
to the rest of the Christian world, seems now to be ris¬ 
ing into notice ; and it is to be hoped that a religious, 
as well as a commercial embassy, will shortly be sent 
to that people. 

How important is the relative situation of Abyssinia 
in regard to the propagation of the gospel! On the 
north and east are the Mahometan countries of Egypt, 
Nubia, Sennaar and Arabia ; on the south, the Pagan 
tribes of Africa. Now if the light of Christianity shone 
in Abyssinia, would it not penetrate the surrounding 
darkness, and shed its cheering beams on those nations 
that now sit in the region and shadow of death ? If 
God should say to the Church of Ethiopia, “ arise, 
shine, for thy light is come^ and the glory of the'Lord 


is'riseii upon thee,” would not the Gentiles come to 
her light and kings to the brightness of her rising?” 
The church of Christ in this land, thus purified and 
exalted, like a beautiful city placed on an eminence, 
would be seen afar off in Arabia and all the surround¬ 
ing nations of Africa. Christianity like light and heat 
is of a diffusive nature. It cannot be confined. It 
tends constantly to an equilibrium. If a Christian 
community exists in the midst of a Heathen or Mahom¬ 
etan land, its light must either go out, or it will dispel 
the surrounding darkness. 

The distribution of Christian communities all over 
the Mahonietan empire is a circumstance that ought 
not to be overlooked bv the Christian world. Qod has 
some wise design in this arrangement. And what is 
more probable, than the supposition that he has reserv¬ 
ed these spots, on which his professed people live, as 
so many forts, in the heart of the enemy’s country, by 
means of which his power may be. assailed and his 
kingdoni finally subverted ? 

Abyssinia is said to contain three millions of people. 
So large a population of nominal Christians almost whol¬ 
ly destitute of the means of grace, and so advantag¬ 
eously situated for spreading the gospel among the sur¬ 
rounding nations of Heathens and Mahometans ought 
pot to be any longer neglected* 

It is certainly a most favourable spot for extensive 
missionary operations. The Bible and other useful 
books might here be translated, printed and ei^tensive- 
ly circulated, and schools established for the instruction 
of the rising generation. If these two points can be 
gained, the general instruction of the rising generation 
and the extensive circulation of the Scriptures, the 
fabric of superstition must eventually fall and the 
shades of darkneSs flee away. 

Cairo and Alexandria in Egypt are imppr4ant plac¬ 
es. At either gf these places several Missionaries 
prnhably might settle with safety. This would be 


49 


perhaps the best place in the world for making a cor¬ 
rect Arabic translation of the Bible. Egypt is at pres¬ 
ent in a quiet and peaceable state. 

The western and southern parts of Africa are not to 
be overlooked in the missionary chart. They have 
their importance. Great success has attended the 
missions at the Cape of Good Hope, and there are ^ 
present great openings in that quarter. This mission, 
and also that at Sierra Leone, bids fair to be of most 
essential service in evangelizing the vast continent of 
Africa. 

Thirdly. The Burman empire, and the other neigh¬ 
bouring couiitries on the eastern peninsula, and the 
great and populous islands in the Indian Ocean, pre¬ 
sent another extensive field for the propagation of 
Christianity and demand very earnest attention. There 
•is but one Missionary on the whole of the eastern pen¬ 
insula,'^ and but a small number in all the Indian islands. 
Burmah seems to be in a more promising state than it 
was several years ago. 

The prospect of a war between that country and the 
India Government, which existed in 1812 has blown 
over, and Mr. F. Carey, who has lately been taken in¬ 
to the service of the Emperor, has been sent to Calcut¬ 
ta as his embassador to the Supreme Government of 
India. Whether the internal disorders of the country 
which have long prevailed there and had arisen to a 
great height a few years ago, have yebsubsided, we have 
not yet been able to learn. Mr. Judson however seems 
to be undisturbed in his work at Rangoon. He speaks 
of the climate as delightful, and of the Government as 
very indulgent to all foreigners. 

Mr. Carey is in future to reside at Ava and to be 
•employed in the service of the Emperor. This arrange- 

* Since this was written, Mr. Hough has joined Mr. Judson at 
Rangoon; and Messrs. Wheelock and Coleman are npw on their way 
to the same station. 


5 


50 


raent, though it deprives the country of a Missionaiy, 
may nevertheless be the means of greatly promoting 
the spread of the gospel in that country, by affording 
greater security to Missionaries than they could other¬ 
wise have expected. This is an ample field and calls 
for a large supply of labourers; especially when we 
View it in connexion with the adjacent countries of Si¬ 
am, Malacca, Cambodia, Cochin China and Tonquin, 
to which no Protestant Missionary has ever been sent. 

The great islands of Sumatra and Borneo are also 
without a single Missionary, wholly destitute of Chris¬ 
tian instruction. In Java and the Moluccas, where the 
Dutch formerly had settlements, there are many nomi¬ 
nal Christians of the Protestant persuasion. The Ma¬ 
lay language is almost universally spoken among these 
islanders, and the Malay Scriptures, many years ago 
translated by the Dutch, are now reprinting at Serara- 
pore, both under the direction of the Calcutta Auxilia¬ 
ry Bible Society. Java and the Moluccas aro now 
restored to the Dutch, and will probably be open to 
Missionaries. The Americans carry on a considerable 
trade with Java, and on this account we might conve¬ 
niently send out a number of Missionaries to that isl¬ 
and. A mission established there might branch out 
into the neighbouring islands as Providence should 
open the door. It is said there are a hundred thousand 
Chinese in Java. Might it not be well to send a spe¬ 
cial mission to them with a view to raise up among 
them preachers to be sent back to China ? 

The three great fields abovementioned, viz. the 
western and central parts of Asia, the eastern shores of 
Africa, and the countries lying on the eastern peninsula 
of India, have peculiar claims on the Christian world ; 
because while they are among the most populous re¬ 
gions of the globe, possess the fairest climates, and 
aftbrd (at least some of them) the greatest facilities for 
the propagation of the gospel, they have, notwithstand¬ 
ing, been hitherto almost entirely neglected. We do 


51 


liOt mean to diminish the importance of other fields, 
which have long been cultivated by the different Soci¬ 
eties in Europe; nor would we wish to divert the at¬ 
tention and exertions of Christians into a new channel 
to the injury of those missions which are already es¬ 
tablished. Let the great and important fields already 
occupied, be cultivated with increasing ardour; let 
more, many more labourers be sent into them ; but let 
not the others lie neglected. These things which we 
are now doing ought we to do, and to do to better pur¬ 
pose ; but not to leave the other undone. Our wish is 
to see all nations supplied with Christian teachers. 

India has been the seat of a Christian and Protes¬ 
tant Mission for more than a hundred years, and within 
twenty years past the number of Missionaries and mis¬ 
sionary establishments has been considerably increas¬ 
ed ;—but yet there is room! There is not even now a 
Missionary to a million of souls. The call for Mission¬ 
aries is as great, and will be as great for years to come, 
as it ever has been. It is a circumstance, which calls 
for gratitude and praise, that in the new charter granted 
to the East India Company, the British government has 
made provision for the regular introduction of Mission¬ 
aries into their territories.. But independent of this 
provision, there are many openings for the introduction 
of the gospel into those extensive and populous coun¬ 
tries comprised under the general appellation of India. 
All the countries, which lie on the Indus, Cashmir,CabuI, 
the Punjab or the country of the Sheiks and Scind, are 
beyond the limits of the Company’s dominions. These 
are very important places, and have never yet been 
visited by any Protestant Missionary. Again in the 
South; Ceylon is a king’s province, not under the 
Company’s government, and is perfectly open to mis¬ 
sionary exertions.'^ 

• In a Sermon preached at CoJiimbo, August 1, 1813, before the 
Auxiliary Bible Society in that place, by the Rev. O, Bisset, one of 



Ceylon is in iisetf an extensive missionary fields 
where a hundred Missionaries may find enough to do; 
especially since the interior of the island has been laid 
open by the subjection of the kingdom of Candi to the 
British Government. The island is small, but very 
populous. One language prevails over nearly the 
whole island. When a Missionary has learnt the Cin¬ 
galese language he may preach the gospel to two or 
three millions of people within the compass of a few 
hundred miles! 

This island, though it lies so near the equator, has a 
most delightful and healthy climate. Being constant¬ 
ly fanned by the sea breezes, and cooled and fertilized 
by showers, it exhibits the appearance of perpetual 
Spring. It is the most healthy and most delightful 
spot in India. 

In the province of Jafiha in the north of the island 
the Tamul language prevails. This language forms 
an important connexion between the island and the 
neighbouring continent, which are separated only by a 
narrow channeL The intercourse is easy, and the hab* 

the Chaplains of the Colony, and brother-in-law to Sir Robert Brown- 
rigg, the governor of Ceylon, the reverend author speaks in the fol¬ 
lowing words : “ But this vast prospect of future blessings (alluding 
to the spread of the gospel in India) has insensibly led me away from 
any proper subject, and almost shut from ray remembrance, the fear¬ 
ful predictions of those, who prognosticate ruin and destruction from 
the most cautious attempts to propagate our religion, by persuasion 
and instruction. Here (i. e. in Ceylon) we have none,of those ob¬ 
stacles, real or imaginary, to alarm our fears and thwart our progress-. 
It is no less our political interest than our moral and religious duty 
to disseminate and foster the principles of the Gospel.” In a note 
in the same discourse, the author says, “ I am well aware of the ten¬ 
der ground that I have here ventured to touch upon, and had written 
a long explanatory note. But as I could not enlarge upon such a 
subject without some warmth, I have considered it most prudent to 
avoid entering into the discussion. It is also perhaps the less neces¬ 
sary to combat the sophistry of fancied dangers at a time when——— 
the tone of opinion seems to be so far altered that ere long an hum¬ 
ble Missionary may hope for permission to land upon the forbidden 
shore, from whence he has hitherto been rejected, as if he came to 
^ropogate the plague or the yellow fever, instead of the Gospel.” 



m 


its and language of the people, on both sides of the 
water, are the same. Hence a Mission in the province of 
Jaffna is a Mission for the South of India, The prov¬ 
ince contains probably a hundred & fifty thousand souls."^ 

Besides Ceylon, there are several other doors to the 
Heathen in th» south of India, viz. the French and Dan¬ 
ish settlements at Pondicherry and Tranquebar on the 
Coromandel coast, and Mahe on the Malabar coast. 

Tranquebar has long been the seat of the venerable 
Danish Mission. The place has lately been restored 
to the Danes. More Missionaries are wanted to strength¬ 
en this declining establishment, and we may confident¬ 
ly say that the Danish Government (for it has ever shown 
itself friendly to the spread of the gospel) will receive 
and protect Missionaries in her settlements. 

Perhaps it will be said that the gospel has already 
been preached in Ceylon, and numerous converts have 
been made there to the Christian faith ;—tha4; it has also 
been preached during the last hundred years by the 
Danish Missionaries on the Coromandel coast, and that 
it has existed from time immemorial on the opposite 
coast among the Syrian Christians. These very facts, 
instead of being a reason for neglecting the places above 
mentioned, do really present a powerful argument for 
sending Missionaries into those countries.—Christianity 
has indeed been introduced into Ceylon and the south of 
India, and numerous converts have there been made to 
its doctrines. Their number however bears no propor¬ 
tion to that of the Heathen among whom they dwell, 
not even the proportion of half a million, to fifteen ov 
twenty millions. And as in all countries where the 
gospel is preached, great numbers of unconverted per¬ 
sons enrol themselves among the followers of Christ, 
so it is here. The Hon. and Rev. Mr. Twisleton, se¬ 
nior chaplain at Colombo, describes the Cingalese 


* It is in th-is province that the American Board of C oiiynis«ioncrs ^ 
for Foreign i^TiasionS, have four, probably now, five Missionaries. 

£diit}r. 


5 ^' 


Christians as in general, Christians only by baptism. 
They hardly know why they are called Christians. 
They are willing to be instructed in the doctrines of 
the gospel, but for the want of instruction and care, 
they are daily falling away into idolatry. In the Syri¬ 
an Church, though apostacy is unknown, yet there seems 
to be but little if any appearance of real religion. How 
can there be much religion in 'a Church where the min¬ 
isters are deplorably ignorant, and seldom, or never 
preach, and where the people are destitute of the Bible ? 

The Protestant Christians on the Coromandel coast 
are perhaps somewhat more enlightened, and a great¬ 
er proportion of them may be truly pious ; but at best 
they cannot be in a better state than the bulk of the 
people in Christian countries. 

The fact then with respect to Ceylon and the South 
of India is this;—Christianity has been preached in 
these regions many years;—the Bible or parts of it 
have bedn translated into the three principal lan¬ 
guages that prevail here, viz. the Cingalese, Tamul 
and Malayalim; and there are now not far from half 
a million that bear the Christian name, in the midst of 
a population of fifteen of twenty millions of Heathens; 
but the majority of those who bear the Christian name 
in this, as in all other countries, are not supposed, by 
persons best qualified to judge, to be real Christians.—It 
is presumed that the bare statelnent of these facts will be 
sufficient to show the expediency and duty of sending 
a large supply of Christian teachers to these countries. 
Now the work is begun, and a breach made in the stror^g 
hold of Satan in this quarter, the business may be pros¬ 
ecuted to the greater advantage ; but if the work should 
now stop or be negligently conducted, all that has been 
won from Satan’s empire, by the toil of a hundred 
years, by much treasure and many valuable lives, will 
<be nearly lost, and the work must at some future peri¬ 
od be taken up a new, and all the difficulties that have 
once been overcome must be encountered again. 


Such are the openings in the East for the extension 
of the Redeemer’s kingdom. We have only glanced at 
the principal fields. 

Though the eastern continent contains eleven twelfths 
of the unevangelized population of the globe, yet we 
have much left us to do in this western world. The 
whole of South America needs the gospel; and as soon 
and as fast as its civil commotions subside, and its spir¬ 
itual thraldom is relaxed, in such a degree as to admit 
the heralds of the Prince of peace, it will become a 
very interesting portion of the great missionary field. 

The vast wildernesses of North America are peopled 
with human beings in the most deplorable state of ig¬ 
norance and wretchedness. Even within the United 
States and their Territories there are not less than about 
a quarter of a million of these poor pagans, divided 
and subdivided into many different tribes and clans, 
and dispersed over widely extended regions ; yet not 
beyond the reach of heavenly mercy, nor in any re¬ 
spect so circumstanced, as to exempt their Christian 
neighbours, who now dwell and plant where their 
fathers once roved and hunted, from the duty of mak¬ 
ing the most earnest and persevering exertions to bring, 
them within the pale of civilized society, and into the 
fold of Christ. They have claims indeed upon the Amer¬ 
ican churches which should go home to every bosom ; 
and had but a small portion of the spirit of Elliot, of 
the Mayhews and of Brainerd dwelt in the American 
Christians generally, those claims would not have beea 
until now so lightly regarded. At length indeed they 
begin, it would seem, to be pretty extensively and 
deeply felt. The work of civilizing and christianiz¬ 
ing the American Aborigines appears to have com¬ 
menced in good earnest, and with most encouraging 
auspices. It is devoutly to be hoped that the time 
is not far distant* when there will be in the different 
tribes many such establishments as that in the Chero* 


56 


kee Nation ; and when the wilderness and the solita¬ 
ry place shall be glad for them, and the deserts shall 
rejoice and blossom as the rose. • 


PART IV. 

In this work there are mam difficulties to admonish) but 
none to discourage. 

In advancing the holy kingdom of Immanuel, what 
but dangers, and perils, and sufferings, should be ex¬ 
pected in such a revolted world, dead in trespasses and < 
sins, in league with satan, and lying under the wrath 
and curse of God ? When prophets and apostles were 
summoned to this work, was it promised to them, or 
did they expect or did they wish, to lie caressed by the 
friendship of this world ? Did they expect to find the work 
easy, and indulgent to flesh and blood ? No ; but with 
their reward before them in heaven, and ready to sacri¬ 
fice ease, property and life, they were to go forth, in the 
name of the Lord, with the full expectation of encounter¬ 
ing all the hardships, perils, and sufferings, which could 
be presented by a world at enmity with God, enchant¬ 
ed with idolatry and full of the wiles and malignity of 
the devil. They knew, for so their divine Master had 
again arid again told them, that, wdth such expectations 
they were to go forth. 

Thus they went, arid what followed ? Just w’hat they 
had been taught to expect—poverty, labours, perils, 
reproaches, imprisoriments, stripes, tortures and death. 
So uniformly was this the case, that, as long ago the ap¬ 
peal was made, which of the prophets has no^ been 
persecuted and slain ? so it might since have been 
added, which of the apostles has not been persecuted 
and slain likewise ? Such are the trials and sufterings 
to which the King of Zion has often been pleased to 


57 


call his faithful servants. Thus he puts their love and 
their faith to the test. But he does not do thus with¬ 
out first giving them the plainest w^arnings, and assur¬ 
ing them, that if they espouse his, cause in the world, 
they must have tribulations, and be hated by all 
men for his name’s sake. At the same time, he opens 
to them an unfailing fountain, of peace, comfort and 
joy ; and he no less fully assures them that they shall 
not lose ought, but rather gain an hundred fold, by all 
that they do and sufier in his cause. Amidst their out¬ 
ward tribulations, he enables their hearts to rejoice 
with joy unspeakable j he gives them an inward peace 
which the world cannot take away; and he assures 
them that the more they suffer for his sake in this life, 
the brighter will be their crown of glory in the life to 
come. 

Could the churches imbibe more fully the spirit of 
Christ, and of his prophets and apostles, could they 
catch but a glimpse of that eternal recompense of re¬ 
ward which is laid up in heaven for the faithful, it 
would kindle their love and faith to a flame ; poverty, 
reproach, and suffering would lose all their terrors, 
and difficulties would vanish away; or if they appear¬ 
ed, they would only stimulate to more vigorous and de¬ 
termined measures for overcoming them. 

But though this spirit should pervade the churches, 
to ever so great an extent 5 yet in every part of this 
great work it will be wise carefully to count the cost. 
All difficulties should be brought to view, and atten¬ 
tively examined ; not indeed for the sake of discour¬ 
agement, or to furnish an excuse for our negligence; 
but rather that the best methods of surmounting those 
difficulties may be devised. 

The obstacles and discouragements to the Missiona¬ 
ry work, which are proper here to be mentioned, may 
all be comprised under the three following heads. 

1 . The mortality and defection of Missionaries. 

2 . The obstacles to their entering the field* 


3. The opposition which they may meet with after 
they enter upon their work. 

The jirst of these has in part been anticipated. As 
the heathen world embraces all sorts of climates, some 
fields must of course be unfavourable to the lives of 
Missionaries. Such are some of the West India Islands, 
some parts of Africa, and in a less degree some parts 
of the East Indies. Since a sovereign God has fixed 
the habitations of millions of the heathen in unhealthy 
climates, and since he has positively commanded his 
disciples to preach the gospel in all the world, to every 
creature, it must be the duty of somebody to penetrate 
these sultry regions, and there proclaim a Saviour’s 
love; that Christ may not fail to have a seed to serve 
liim “ out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, 
and nation and that none may be left to perish in ig¬ 
norance, merely because they inhabit a less salubrious 
clime than other nations. 

It should however be remembered that these regions 
are not so unhealthy as to deter the devotees of Mam¬ 
mon, from penetrating them for the sake of earthly 
treasures. Hoiv long shall the children of this world 
be ‘‘ wiser in their generation, than the children of 
light ?” 

But after all, those regions, which can properly be 
called unhealthy, form but a small part of the vast 
Iteathen world. 

With but these few exceptions, all other regions to 
which Missionaries must go, are healthy, and there they 
would be as likely as other men, both to enjoy good 
health, and to live to old age. 

Such is the - variety of climates where the heathen 
live, and where the gospel is yet to be published, that 
no man can excuse himself from the missionary work, 
©n the plea that his health is not suited to the climate. 
There are places enough, where he may preach to the 
heathen, in a climate as congenial to his health as that 
of his own native spot. If any one should make this. 


59 


plea^ it must be because he does not like the work, and 
has no better excuse for declining or forsaking it. Nor 
can any church excuse her neglect on any better gfbund. 
If in one place she sees terrors too great for her love 
and her faith to encounter, she may send her Missiona¬ 
ry to some less formidable region. None, with any 
good reason, can stand aloof, or retire from the work. 

It is believed however, that Christians, in contem¬ 
plating the mortality of Missionaries, are prone to 
overrate it. It remains yet to be ascertained by the 
experiment, whether the mortality of Missionaries in 
foreign countries, will, on the whole, be found greater, 
than that of ministers now labouring in Christian lands. 
It is true, that of the Missionaries who have been sent 
to the East and West India Islands, a considerable 
number have died, shortly after entering the held ; but 
others have continued labouring at the work some fif¬ 
teen, some twenty, thirty, forty or fifty years. But it 
would be erroneous to take this mortality, as a speci¬ 
men of that which would attend Missionaries generally. 
It would be erroneous,becausdhese regions are more un¬ 
healthy than the Missionary world at large ; because the 
fields where these Missionaries have fallen in the greatest 
numbers, are more unhealthy than almost any other parts 
even of the sickly climates ; and because missionary ex¬ 
perience is, every day increasing, and that experience 
will show succeeding Missionaries how to avoid those 
exposures, which have been so fatal to the lives of their 
predecessors in the work. So far therefore as we can 
judge from natural causes, we may safely conclude that 
the mortality of Missionaries, even in the unhealthy 
climates, will be less in future than it has been in years 
past. 

Again, the consideration should never escape us, that 
the unhealthy parts of the world embrace But a small 
proportion of the unevangelized nations. The great 
mass of these nations, as before observed, are in the 
most healthy regions of the earth. To these regions 


the greater part of Missionaries must go, and from the 
hardy and active course of life which they would pur- 
vsue, it may be questioned, whether they would not, in 
general, live to as great an age, as ministers at home, 
if not to a greater; because these are addicted to a 
more sedentary and inactive life. 

Do not these considerations, at least, show that we 
could not safely conclude, that Missionaries, will on the 
whole, be attended with a greater mortality, than min¬ 
isters in Christian countries ? And if so, how can they 
answer for themselves, who are so ready io discourage 
Missionaries, by pointing to the early graves of those 
who have fallen in the field of labour ; since if the 
mortality were even greater than they suppose, it could 
be no valid reason why men should not hazard their 
mortal lives, for the translating of immortal souls, from 
eternal death to everlasting life ; and especially since, 
wdrjle, they are holding up in terror, this mortality, they 
do it without being sure, that Missionaries, taken col¬ 
lectively, have any greater reason to fear an early 
death, in a foreign country, than in their own, 

As to the defection of Missionaries, this is a lesson to 
humble and warn, but not to dishearten us. In the 
churches, many who never knew Christ, come forward 
and profess themselves his disciples; some because 
they have deceived themselves, and some because they 
think it for their interest to deceive others. This is 
deeply to be deplored : but no one thinks it a reason 
why the people of Christ should not profess his name 
before men. 

It is much the same with Missionaries. Some put 
their hand to the work, not knowing what manner of 
spirit they are of, and others without duly counting the 
cost. These may all endure for a season ; but in times 
of trial they will fall away ; such wdll prove a great 
discouragement, both to the labourers in the field, and 
to their patrons at home. They lower the missionary 
character—weaken the confidence reposed in it—<Ie- 


vour the charities of the pious,—disappoint their fondest 
hopes,—and dispirit their fellow-soldiers, by fleeing 
from the battle, and weakening their ranks in the midst 
of the foe. How solemnly does this admonish both 
Missionaries and churches, to be more earnest and con¬ 
stant in their supplications to God, the fountain of all 
grace, who alone can give to Missionaries a heart to 
persevere, and to the churches, faith to sustain all dis¬ 
appointments, and surmount all obstacles. 

This is a kind of trial which, from the beginning, has 
exercised the faith of God’s people. Amidst prophets 
and apostles, some failed and departed from the work; 
and in modern times, similar events have perhaps more 
frequently occurred. These things have been permit¬ 
ted, we must suppose, to admonish us to stand prepar¬ 
ed for similar distressing events in every age. 

But it is consoling and animating to see, with what 
ease the churches may provide labourers for the whole 
harvest, notwithstanding the mortality and defection of 
Missionaries. The preceding calculation makes am¬ 
ple allowance for this diminution of labourers, and fills 
the world with Missionaries, in the short space of about 
twenty years. 

2 . The obstacles to Missionaries entering the field. 

Let those who think these difficulties great, atten¬ 
tively consider the following siniple facts. Ships, which 
could convey-Missionaries to their fields of labour, are 
going to every part of the world, and the traders who 
go in them do actually penetrate all nations ; and though 
they prosecute their search of gold, with a zeal which 
is often unjust, oppressive and grossly irritating ; yet 
it is but very seldom that they experience violence 
from the people among whom they do go. Would 
then the Missionary of Christ, whose character is inof¬ 
fensive and whose message is kindness and love, be 
resisted with violence as soon as he should approach 
the heathen shores ? 


6 



Again, does not the uniform success which has at¬ 
tended former attempts fully declare, that Missionaries, 
if they will, may go into all the world? Behold' the 
Missionaries of the church of- Rome. Where is the 
countrywhich they have not penetrated ? Have they not 
encircled the continent of Atrica, from the Straits of 
Gibraltar to the Red Sea ? Are they not spread over 
Egypt, Palestine, and Syria ? Are they not found on 
the confines of Arabia, and in the heart of Persia ? Have 
they not entered Tartary, Cabul,Cashmire, Tibet,Boo- 
ton, and Nipaul ? Throughout India, from the mouths 
of the Indus, to Cape Comorin, and from Cape Como^- 
rin to the Ganges, their number is immense. 

They are also numerous in Siam, Pegu, Ava, Ton- 
quin, Cochin, and the Chinese empire. They have 
entered many of the Islands in the Indian Seas, and la¬ 
boured extensively among the savage tribes of South 
America. 

Look next to Protestant Missionaries. Behold the 
Moravians entering among the savage hordes of Green¬ 
land, Labrador, and the frontiers of the United States. 
See the Danish Missionaries living in security, under 
the heathen Rajars of Tanjore, and under the Mahom¬ 
etan governments of Hyder Aly and Tippo Sooltaun. 
In addition to these, numerous Missionaries from dif¬ 
ferent Protestant societies have entered various parts 
of India. 

In Burmah, that “land of crime, and torture, and 
blood, and death,” where the natives are “ crucified 
and cut to pieces,” at the pleasure ot an arbitrary vice- 
IX)y, the Protestant Missionaries from England and A* 
merica, have lived unmolested for several years past; 
Mr. F. Carey, the first Protestant Missionary to that 
country has been called to the imperial court, has re^ 
ceived from the emperor peculiar marks of favour, and is 
now his ambassador to the Supreme Government of In-r 
dia. 



63 


For nearly twenty years past, the English Mission¬ 
aries in Otaheite, have been preaching to those Pagan 
islanders, under the protection of a Pagan chief, who 
now solicits baptism from their hands. 

In one word, in all parts of the world, and under .all 
sorts of governments, Missionaries, both Catholic and 
Protestant, wherever they have attempted to enter the 
missionary fields, have generally succeeded. 

With these plain facts before him, who can pretend 
to say that Missionaries may not go into all the world, 
if they choose ? To say this after all the success which 
God has given to the various attempts that have been 
made—how unbelieving, how ungrateful! Instead there¬ 
fore of magnifying difficulties and making excuses, 
Christians every where, ought to be exhorting and ani¬ 
mating each other to the work, and the common voice 
of one to another should be, “ Lift up your eyes and 
look upon the fields, for they are already white to har¬ 
vest. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that 
he will send forth labourers into his harvest. The 
harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few.” 

It is not pretended that there ate no difficulties in the 
way of this work ; but it is maintained that they are 
no greater than Roman Catholic zeal, and commercial 
enterprize, have again and again surmounted ; nor are 
they greater than Protestant exertions, wherever they 
have been made, have overcome. The impediments 
are much greater in some regions than in others ; and 
great wisdom should be exercised that those fields may 
first be selected where the work may be advanced to 
the greatest extent wdth the fewest obstructions. Most 
regions Missionaries may enter with the greatest safe¬ 
ty, and with most of the comforts and conveniences of 
life. To other fields, like the Catholic Missionaries, 
they must go forth in that humble and indigent style, 
which presents to the barbarian nothing to excite his 
jealousy or to. tempt his avarice. 


Whatever view we take of this part of the subject^ 
1 t must appear to every candid person^ that there is as 
much certainty as there can be, independent of the ex¬ 
periment, that wherever Missionaries go, they will be 
able in some way or other to enter the field, and that 
generally they may do it with safety and comfort* In¬ 
deed the prospect is so encouraging that there hardly 
seems to be room for that faith in this respect, which 
Christ usually requires of his people when he calls them 
forth to any extraordinary work. 

ButallowingthatMissionariesmight enter thefield,still 
some can see nothing but difficulties and discourage¬ 
ments in their subsequent pursuit of their work. This is the 

3 d Class of difficulties to be considered. 

The same facts and considerations, which show that 
Missionaries can enter the field, go far in proving that 
they may continue in it and pursue their w^ork. For 
the whole of the last century Protestant Missionaries 
have begun and continued their labours, in different 
parts of the Pagan world. 

Jt is a fact that no heathen or Mahometan govern¬ 
ment, has ever sent from the field a single Protestant 
Missionary, nor can they with propriety be said to have 
opposed them,but on the contrary theyhave often great¬ 
ly encouraged and patronized them! Happy would it be 
could the same be said of Christian gov ernments. But a- 
las ! more than one Christian government have opposed 
and em barrassedMissionaries,yet in butone instance have 
they been permitted to go so far in opposing the king¬ 
dom of God, as to send home a Missionary.^ The fact 

The British government in the East Indies, the Dutch govern¬ 
ment at the Cape of Good Hope, and the English government in the 
West Indies, it is distressing to say, have opposed Missions. Dr. 
Johns,a Baptist Missionary, who went to Bengal in 1812, was sent to 
England by Lord Minto, But may we not now hope that such pro¬ 
ceedings are at an end ; and that the time is not far distant, when 
kings and rulers, in their treaties of peace and amity, will devoutly 
covenant together to aid by their zealous exertions the advancement 
of Christ’s kingdom, as they now humanely pledge themselves for. 
the abolition of the slave trade? 




is- worthy to he repeated, aad ought always to be remcHt- 
bered, that of all the Protestant Missionaries who have 
ever beea sent out, but one single Missionary has ever 
been sent honae ; and that one, not by a Pagan or Ma* 
hometan^ but by a Christian government; and that same 
Christian government has since publicly declared itself 
in favour of the propagation of Christianity among its 
heathen subjects, and stands pledged to grant facilities 
to persons desirous of prosecuting this work within its 
territories. Do not these facts hold out the greatest en¬ 
couragement to the friends of Zion boldly and thankful¬ 
ly to come forward to the missionary work ? 

Similar encouragement arises from the fact, that Ro¬ 
man CatholicMissionaries, for centuries past, have been 
zealously labouring among almost all the nations of the 
earth. They have built churches, invaded the casts^ 
and rites of the heathen, encountered the faith and mal¬ 
ice of the Mahometans, and baptised, in the name of 
the Father^ the So7i, and the Holy Ghosts thousands who 
once were Pagans and Mussulmen. Under all sorts of 
governments, they have been allowed quietly to remain, 
until in one or two instances, they were so indiscreet 
as to interfere with the political affairs of the nation.'^ 
This was no sooner done, than they either fell a bloody 
sacrifice to their imprudence and ambition, or were 
banished from the country ; thus leaving for succeed¬ 
ing Missionaries, a solemn admonition to take good 
heed to the heavenly maxims and example of their 
Divine Master; and like Paul,, to resolve to know no¬ 
thing among the heathen, but Jesus Christ and him 
crucified. 

If Missionaries will thus imitate Paul, and obey the 
directions of their Lord, what do not the preceding 
facts warrant them to hope for ; what have they to fear, 
unless their preaching should be attended with such 
divine power, and such great numbers should be cou’^ 

^ In China and Uie Japan lalandii. 

6 ^ 


66 


verted to the faith of Christ, as to alarm the Mussui- 
man with the apprehension, that his prophet and his 
Koran will fall to the ground; and the Heathen that 
their Deanies and their Shasters will come to nought ? 
Whenever God in his infinite pity and love to the per¬ 
ishing nations,'is pleased to bring this to pass, then, it 
may be, that, Missionaries will receive much (he same 
treatment as the apostles did in like cases. In thus 
bringing about the conversion of the world, should God 
jsee fit even to sulfer martyrdom to be revived; still 
who that is a Christian does not desire and pray that 
the glorious period may be hastened ? Who could be 
so profane and so absurd as to argue against great mis¬ 
sionary exertions, on the ground that if they were thus 
zealously prosecuted, many would be converted, and 
consequently Missionaries would be opposed, persecut¬ 
ed or slain ? 'But thanks be unto God, at present, a 
xvide door is open. On every side are fields already 
'white to harvest, and there is nothing which can rea¬ 
sonably deter, for a moment, the Missionaries of the 
cross from entering the field and gathering, out of all 
nations, a people for the Lord. 

It cannot be proper to enrol on the list of difficulties^ 
ihose trials, which arise from the blindness and igno¬ 
rance of the Heathen, their degradation, their vices, 
their crimes, their inveterate prejudices, their foolish 
ceremonies, and their obstinate attachment to their 
endless superstitions ; or those trials which the Mission¬ 
ary must, in most cases, feel in his exile from Chris¬ 
tian society, if not from civilized life. There are great 
trials, and will often fill the Missionary with pain and 
anguish ; but they are all matters of course, and insep¬ 
arable from the missionary w’ork, and are therefore im¬ 
proper to be numbered with the obstacles to this work, 
though they are to be well weighed by the Missionary 
in counting the cost. If they are not, by coming upon 
him unprepared, th^y may so overwhelm his heart as 
to drive him in despair from the work.. But bfossed 




be the King of king?, who has all power in heaven and 
on earth, for that consoling promise to his disciples, 
“ Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the 
world*” ‘‘ My grace shall be sufficient for you.” 
Yes, it will be sufficient to support and comfort the Mis¬ 
sionary, whatever may be his trials; and sufficient to 
convert the nations to the faith of the gospel, notwith¬ 
standing the combined opposition of earth and hell. 
Ye5, Missionaries may go, if they will, and evangelize 
all nations; and the churches, if they please, may send 
them j and to either, what motive, what persuasion is 
wanting ? 

To give but a part of them, we must cast up the ag¬ 
gregate worth of all the souls in unevangelized nations,- 
who are perishing for lack of knowledge ; we must cal¬ 
culate the amount of all those endless torments, from 
which the gospel ia able to save them and all the inter¬ 
minable joys of heaven which it offers them ; and we 
must also estimate the full amount of all the praise and 
glory, which through eternity would redound to God, 
and all the happiness which would forever accrue to 
saints and angels, from the conversion of the world. 
AH, all these are but so many parts uniting to form that 
boundless object which is laid upon the hearts of Chris¬ 
tians, when commanded by their Redeemer to preach 
his gospel to every creature. Such is that infinite 
weight of motives, which is to awaken the consciences 
and inflame the zeal of Christians in this greatest, this 
noblest work. 

But thus to glance at the subject in the gross, is not 
enough. It demands the most deliberate and habitual 
contemplation; and there are other motives more dis¬ 
tinct and particular in their nature, which it would be 
useful to consider. 

1 . Such missionary exertions would tend greatly to 
promote religion among the churches at home. 

This missionary work employs every church in 
building its part in the house of the Lord. Hence each 
becomes employed in perfecting that which is dearest 


68 


to the hearts of all. Would not this tend at once to- 
kindle that flame of mutual love, which would soon 
spread a new and glorious lustre over the whole of 
Christendom ? Besides, the work calls upon every in¬ 
dividual in every church to build up his share of the 
walls of that heavenly Jerusalem which each prefers 
above his chief joy. Here again how powerfully does 
this unity of object tend to promote a unity of hearty 
and not only so, but a unity of views also; Every in¬ 
dividual, by putting his hand to the work, commences 
a new sort of life. Now in all that he plans, as all that 
he executes, he thinks of Christ, of his kingdom, and 
the salvation of sinners; and he inquires, how can I 
best increase my industry, improve my economy of 
living, and divide my income, so as most conven-' 
iently to secure my share in what ? In the glori¬ 
ous w^ork of diffusing light, peace, joy, and salvation 
throughout the whole of this benighted, distracted, 
wretched, perishing world. Thus his heart swells 
with the greatest object that was ever presented to 
finite comprehension. With a mind thus elevated, 
with a heart Beating strong for the renovation of the 
world and the eternal welfare of all men, he labours in 
his field, he goes to his shop, he enters his counting^ 
room; all, all that he puts his hand to, is hallowed; 
—for he has covenanted to build the house of the Lord,, 
and his vows must be paid. He must therefore sa¬ 
credly regard all bis transactions, that he may not be 
incommoded by his annual contribution, and that he may 
by no means be wanting in his part. Thus directly 
does the work tend to lead each individual, in all his 
transactions, habitually to contemplate the cause of 
Christ as his own, and himself as a daily labourer in 
that cause. Whoever heartily espouses the mission¬ 
ary interest must do this; and when every Christian 
does this, will there not be a revival of religion in the 
churches ? 

Again, behold each individual, each church daily in 


their closets and weekly in the sanctuary, devoutly 
supplicating wisdom from on high to guide them in the 
choice and education of some pious youth, whom they 
may consecrate to the Lord, set apart for the work of 
the ministry, and send as their messenger to the Hea¬ 
then. Behold him fed and clothed, and taught by their 
charities ; nurtured by their daily supplications ; and 
sent forth, the object of their affections and the subject 
of their benedictions and prayers. Their hearts go 
with him to-the field of his labours ; they are deeply 
interested in every thing that concerns him ; they cease 
not to implore grace for the comfort of his heart and 
the success of bis labours; they wait anxious to re¬ 
ceive tidings from him and the flock which Providence 
has placed under his care; and thus a portion of tho 
heathen world becomes attached to every Christian 
congregation. Is not the work suited to produce all 
this in the hearts of all who are engaged in it ? And 
when any chui’ch is thus engaged,_is not religion re* 
vived in that church ? 

But ifieach church presents such a picture of life, 
activity, zeal, and prayerfulness in the cause of God, 
what must be the appearance of all the churches of 
Christ, when thus engaged in the universal diffusion of 
his glorious gospel ? Now the glory of the Lord has 
risen upon the churches—Zion has shaken herself from 
the dust—put on her beautiful garments, and shines 
forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible 
as an army with banners.— terrible^ not only to the 
idols of the heathen, but also to such as are at ease m 
Zion. What else would be so likely to awaken the 
thoughtless, confound the infidel, and stop the mouths of 
gainsayers ? Until Christians do take up the work 
with a zeal and activity answerable to their belief and 
hopes in the gospel, the unbeliever may continue Iq 
say,—and how cutting is the reproach—Yes, sinners 
may still ask “ If Christians really believe that Christ 
has tasted death for every man, that there is salvatioa 


70 


ill no other, and that a great part of the world are ac¬ 
tually perishing in ignorance of this only Saviour of 
sinners;—if they really believe all this, why do they 
not concern themselves to have this gospel made known 
to ev,ery creature ? Why has this been neglected so 
long. 

And, alas! the Heathen join in the same bitter re¬ 
proach. The Missionary tells them that he has come 
to proclaim to them a Saviour, the Son of God, who 
has shed his blood to atone for the sins of the world j 
and who has commanded his servants to publish the 
glad tidings every where for the salvation of all men. 
—^When, says the pagan, did this Saviour die ? Eigh¬ 
teen hundred years ago, replies the Missionary.— 
When did he command his servants to publish every 
where these good tidings ? Just before he ascended 
from earth to heaven, which was shortly after his death 
and resurrection. Surprising! says the pagan. If 
you Christians have known all these things, and really 
believe that we ignorant Heathen must perish, unless 
we believe in your Jesus Christ; how could you leave 
so great a part of the world, for so many generations, 
to go down to perdition, without coming sooner to tell 
us of this only way in which we can be saved ? What 
can the Missionary say ? This is not idle fancy; it is 
matter of distressing fact. 

O Christians, is it not time to arise and pluck this 
dreadful weapon from the hand of idolatry abroad, and 
Infidelity at home 

Until Christians undertake in good earnest to evan¬ 
gelize the world, their creeds and their conduct will be 
contradictory, sinners will be quick to see it, and when 
they see it they will be hardened in unbelief. 

* How can any man be 30 unreasonable, and so ignorant both of 
human nature andmatter of fact, as to suppose that the infidel would 
see an inconsistency in gfeat exertions to convert the Heathen, be¬ 
cause there are so many impenitent sinners at home ; and on thiY 
accenat raise an objection to foreign missions ? 



But on the other hand, let all Christians Eealously 
engage in this work, and how different would be the 
consequences ! The unbeliever would behold, and 
wonder, and confess that the religion, which can influ¬ 
ence men to do and suffer so much, without any tempo¬ 
ral reward, to procure the happiness of others, is not a 
fiction, but a solemn truth, and that he must possess it 
himself or be lost forever. It is only when Christians 
act in conformity to their profession, that they cause 
their light to shine before others, and that others see¬ 
ing their good works are led to re]>ent and glorify 
God. 

Besides, the greater the zeal of the churches is for 
the salvation of souls abroad, the greater will be 
their zeal Tor the conversion of sinners at homci 
The more Missionaries they send to other countries, 
the more will they find in the destitute parts of their 
own land. The more Christians desire and seek the 
prosperity of religion in one place, the more they will 
desire it in another. Such is the nature of that divine 
love which Christ sheds abroad in the hearts of his 
people. It is a universal love. This is not naked 
theory. It is sentiment founded on matter of plain fact 
and divine promise. 

Look at missionary exertions in England. Do not 
their public reports tell us, that their domestic missions 
h ave gone on increasing in proportion to the growth of 
their foreign missions ? And if we look to our own coun¬ 
try, will any one who is at all acquainted with its relig¬ 
ious affairs, pretend to say that the same has not been 
the case here ? That promise is worthy of being often 
and emphatically repeated,—‘‘ There is that scattereth 
and yet increaseth. The liberal soul shall be made 
fat, and he that watereth shall be watered also him- 
selfi”^ 

* How can any one speak of foreign missions as though they would 
diminish the means of grace at home ? What can it be but an iocoU” 
fiiderate denial bolh of matter xrffact^ and of divine promise? 


Yes, ye toiling Missionariesj who have gone far off 
to the heathen, you may comfort your hearts with the 
assurance that you are still labouring for the revival of 
religion in the land of your fathers ; and ye, who con¬ 
tribute your silver and your gold may do it with the 
transporting expectation of seeing your pious liberali¬ 
ties springing up in fruits of righteousness among your 
families, your neighbours, and your destitute country¬ 
men at home. Your missionary exertions will conduce 
in a thousand ways to these happy effects. O that the 
consideration might animate every soul with a holy 
zeal in the missionary cause! 

2. Such missionary exertion would greatly encour¬ 
age and strengthen the Missionaries now in the field® 
and give much greater effect to their labours. 

As the work is now carried on, there is but one Mis¬ 
sionary to nearly two millions of souls. In some in¬ 
stances a single Missionary is quite alone, and two, 
five, ten, or fifteen hundred miles from any fellow la¬ 
bourer. In some cases, again, a number of Missiona¬ 
ries are together and have but a few thousand souls 
around them; but more commonly you see one or two 
at a station, in the midst of ten, fifty, or a hundred mil¬ 
lion souls, with no other labourer to help forward the 
"conversion of the surrounding multitude. 

Thus situated, what can the Missionary do ? He is 
a man, and has but the strength of a man ; but the bur¬ 
den of a hundred labourers is laid on one, and he feels 
its weight. He cries out for help, but it does not come. 
He casts his eyes over the amazing multitude throng¬ 
ing around him ; and the more he contemplates, the 
more vast the work before him appears, and the more 
severely his burden presses upon him. He cries again 
for help. The churches hear his c^ll, but are slow to 
regard it. Perhaps he is encouraged wdth the hope ♦ 
that by and by some one will be sent to his aid ; and • 
it may be that he has no better prospects, than that he 
shall labour in solitude, perhaps be the means of gath- 


73 


fering arouTid him for instruction a little flock ; and then 
he must die 5—and there being no one to step into his 
place, the little flock is scattered, and the labour and 
expense of his mission are almost or entirely lost. 

VVhat, let it be again asked, what can Missionaries 
do, if thus forsaken and left to serve alone ? What can 
the churches expect from them ! Would they not be 
driven in despair from the field, as we have reason to 
fear has sometimes been the case, or labour in despon¬ 
dency, and'thus skccomplish but little or nothing, except 
the waste of missionary funds ? 

The mode of conducting missions at present, in most 
cases, is in fact like sending one soldier to storm a fort, 
five to conquer a province—a hundred to subjugate an 
empire ! Should these soldiers flee from the fight, what 
wonder ? Or should they by a miracle of valour pros¬ 
trate many of the foe, and effect a standing upon his, 
territory ; how long could they maintain their ground, 
and what would be gained in the end, unless a suita¬ 
ble reinforcement were seasonably sent to their aid, to 
secure what had been gained ? 

The Missiona»y sees many ways of advancing the 
work; he forms judicious plans, and yet having but half 
the means of executing them, they lie neglected ; or if 
he attempts to execute them, he either soon fails or 
drags them on at the greatest disadvantage ; and he is 
continually under the distressing apprehension that he 
shall finally fail through want of help, and that thus he 
shall be found to have laboured in vain, and spent his 
strength for nought. 

The Missionary,though entirely alone, and under cir¬ 
cumstances the most discouraging, ought indeed to 
stand firm, and do the work of an evangelist, putting 
his trust in God for all that he needs, and for all that 
the cause requires. Such is undoubtedly his duty, But 
in devising the wisest methods of conducting missions, 
the manner in which the minds even of good men will 
prohahly be affected by circumstances must come 
7 



74 ' 


into the account. And it must be obvious from a mo¬ 
ment’s reflection, that such circumstances as have been 
described, (and such circumstances have existed and 
do still exist,) must tend greatly to weaken the hands 
and discourage the hearts of Missionaries. Those 
who are alone, will feel it the most severely ; but every 
where, according as the magnitude of the labour is dis¬ 
proportionate to the strength of the labourers, it will 
tend to discourage their hearts, and thus prevent that 
degree of good which they would do if suitably assist¬ 
ed. To increase the number of Missionaries, there¬ 
fore, is not merely to add the labour of so many hands 
to the work, but to give a two fold greater efficacy to 
the exertions of all who are engaged in it, by enabling 
them to labour at a vastly greater advantage. 

3. The state of those Christians who, as has been 
observed, are to be found either in the midst, or in the 
vicinity, of Pagans and Mahometans, presents urgent 
reasons for sending Missionaries. 

These Christians are numerous ; they are degraded, 
and as really perishing for lack of knowledge as the 
heathen themselves. They are so closely connected, 
by country, language, and manners, with Pagans and 
Mahometans, that a revival of religion among them 
would not only be for their own salvation, but would 
be as life from the dead,” to the surrounding nations. 
Such a revival would be to Africa and Asia much like 
the Reformation to Europe. The honour of the Re¬ 
deemer and the perishing condition of these untaught 
Christians, loudly admonish the churches to send Mis¬ 
sionaries to seek the welfare of these, their long neg¬ 
lected brethren. How can they thus see their breth¬ 
ren have need, and shut up their bowels of compassion 
from them 1 Missionaries ought to be sent immediately, 
because no more of these Christians ought to be left tb 
perish in ignorance ; and because the facilities offered 
through them for widely diffusing the knowledge of 


76 


Christ, are tpo great, and the duty is too obvious, too 
imperious, to be neglected a single year longer. 

4. The great provision made for supplying almost 
all nations vvith the Bible, is another reason why the 
churches should make equal provision for furnishing 
them with the preaching of the gospel. 

Societies formed for the distribution of the scrip¬ 
tures are almost innumerable. Great provision is also 
made,and extensive plans are going forward for giving 
the Bible both to heathen and Mahometan nations. In 
these benevolent plans all seem to unite with zeal and 
liberality. With such complete success every where 
have charities been solicited in aid of this object, so 
firmly is it already established and so far has it advanc¬ 
ed, that we may now feel assured that it will receive 
all necessary aid as long as it is managed with dis¬ 
cretion. 

But while so much zeal and energy are employed in 
giving the Bible to unevangelized nations, the exer¬ 
tions made for sending them ministers to explain it are 
extremely inadequate. Already thousands of copies 
of the Bible are printed, and lying useless ; or are now 
printing in extensive languages, where there are but 
two or three, and in some instances where there is not 
a single preacher to explain them, to call attention to 
them, or even to distribute them ; but where Mission¬ 
aries might go if they were sent. 

Is the distribution of the Bible in this new era, to 
supersede the sending of preachers I Is there not some 
great and alarming error, which makes the churches 
so zealous in providing for the heathen to read the gos¬ 
pel, and so remiss in providing for them to hear the 
gospel ? Is not the latter, rather than the former, the 
great means which Christ has ordained for evangeliz¬ 
ing the world ? Why then should the order, which he 
has prescribed be reversed ? especially when it is con¬ 
sidered that in heathen nations all have ears to hear 
the gospel, while comparatively,but few of them,through 


78 


their great ignorance, couldrecJ the Bible, if given to 
them in their own language. Besides, as to those who 
might be able to read, their degraded minds are so de¬ 
plorably darkened and so completely absorbed in eve¬ 
ry thing that is hostile to the purity of the gospel, that 
while perusing the mysteries of Godliness, were any 
one of them interrogated, as Philip asked the eunuch, 
‘‘ Undersfayuhst thou what thou readest would he 
jiot answer, as the eunuch did, “ How can /, except 
some man should guide me 

The fault is not that Christians have too much zeal 
for giving the Bible to every creature. This can nev¬ 
er be. The fault is rather that they have too little 
zeal for sending Missionaries with the Bible to preach 
it. Unless the churches will come forward and give to 
the preaching, the simple preaching of the gospel, that 
preeminence which Christ has given it, will they not 
find by and by, that they have laboured much, and ex¬ 
pended much ; and that it has issued in little else than 
the disappointment of their hopes, and the waste of 
their libet'alities ? And would not this soon extingish a 
noble and almost essential part of that zeal which must 
eventually carry the gospel to every creature, and thus 
reduce the Christian world to her former apathy from 
'which she is now so fast emerging ? 

* Now the churches have it completely in their powder 
to prevent these deplorable consequences, by hastening 
to the field a reasonable numV)er of Missionaries. Let 
this be done, and every correct translation of the scrip¬ 
tures, which otherwise must be of but little use, would 
become of unspeakable value ; and the Numerous in¬ 
stitutions and societies, and the great zeal and patron¬ 
age enlisted for the distribution of the scriptures would 
become a vast engine in the promotion of Christian 
knowledge. Then Bible Societies, and Missionary So¬ 
cieties, thus duly balanced, would go on, hand in hand, 
'mutually serving, encburaging, and strengthening each 
• Acte viii. 31. 


other; and it would not be long ere the benign influ¬ 
ence of the gospel would be felt in the most distant re¬ 
gions of the earth. 

5. The ease with which the churches might send 
out the requisite number of Missionaries is another 
reason why they should do it. 

The more easy and palpable any duty is, the great¬ 
er is the guilt of neglecting it. But to many, it is to be 
feared,, missions are one of those things which they do 
not like to consider, lest they should find their duty'to 
be such as they are not willing to perform. 

When Christ commands his disciples to evangelize 
ail nations, he does not require them to perform the 
work of conversion on their hearts. This is his own 
prerogative. He only requires them to use the appoint¬ 
ed means to this end; that is, to preach the gospel to 
every creature. Now if Christians will come forward 
and do their part of the work, will Christ fail to do 
his ? If they will fulfil his command, and go and teach 
all nations, will not he fulfil his promise, and cause all 
nations whom he has made, to come and Worship be¬ 
fore him ?” 

It is true that thus to preach the gospel in all the 
world is a great and arduous work. Taken up by a 
few, as before observed, the burden would be intoler¬ 
able ; but if each one wdll bear his part, the burden 
will be light. If all will put forth but moderate exer¬ 
tions, all that is required of Christians, as their part, 
will soon be done. With what ease, as has been shown, 
the whole number of Missionaries might be furnished! 
With what ease they might all be supported ! Hov/ 
soon too the feelings, of the Christian public might eve¬ 
ry where be called to the subject, and enlisted in the 
W'ork! 

• O ! that Christians of all denominations would duly 
consider the infinite magnitude of this work, and the 
perfect ease with which they might accomplish it! In¬ 
deed the whole matter appears so plain, that if any 
7 ^ 


78 


ji^ious person woald give it the slightest consideration, 
i-t does seem as though he must see a cloud of over¬ 
whelming arguments to convince him of his duty, and 
of motives not less overpowering, to persuade him to 
do it. 

Should we undertake, by a course of reasoning, to 
prove to any pious Christian, that he and every other 
man ought immediately to, espouse the cause of mis¬ 
sions, and zealously engage in this work of evangeliz¬ 
ing the world ; instead of waiting to be convinced by 
arguments, that such was his duty, w'ould he not impa¬ 
tiently exclaim, “ Forbear, 1 pray you. Do not think 
me an infidel. Hinder me not with your arguments. 
I am not only convinced, but I am ready to act. Why 
should you think me so blind as not to understand my 
dearest Lord, when he so plainly commands his dis¬ 
ciples to evangelize all nations ? or why should you 
think me so selfish, as not to be willing to do my share 
in this most blessed w'ork ? Why should you labour to 
convince me, that the churches are perfectly able to 
comply with their Lord’s direction, as though 1 thought 
he could command an unreasonable and impmcticable 
thing ?—and as though I had no discernment to see that 
the work, great as it is, if divided among the whole 
mass of Christians, would leave but a small share for 
each to do ? Why do you strive to show me that the 
salvation of a world of immortal souls, is an object in¬ 
finitely surpassing in magnitude our highest compre¬ 
hension, and, that an obligation equally great binds 
every Christian to exert himself to the uttermost to ac¬ 
complish it ? Why would you convince me of this— 
as though I have not yet learned from the Saviour, that 
a single soul is of more value than the w'hole world ; 
or as though I had no belief in those endless woes 
which await every soul that is out of Christ, or in those 
everlasting joys which are prepared for all who believe 
in him ; or as if I had no heart io feel for the Heathen 
—no desire for their salvation.—Why, aa though I 


79 


were au alien from Israel, must 1 be beset with arguments 
to show me, that when Christians shall all thus come 
forward to the help of the Lord, then leligion will be 
revived in the c^mrches, and the ways of Zion will re-? 
joice—she will be as a city set on an hill, whose light 
will shine through the darkest and most distant parts of 
the world :—then Jerusalem wdll be a praise in all the 
earth—Zion will appear glorious, and her King will 
be exalted high above all nations; then will the Hea¬ 
then cast away their abominations, cease the adoration 
of their senseless gods, throw their idols to the bats and 
the moles, and join in that heavenly anthem, “ Worthy 
is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and rich¬ 
es, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, 
and blessing—for thou waSt slain and hast redeemed 
us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and 
longue, and people, and nation, and hast made us unto 
God kings and priests.*" Then will Christ “ see of 
the travail of his soul and be satisfred for “ he shall 
have the Heathen for his inheritance and the utter¬ 
most parts of the earth for his possession.” ‘‘ The 
Heathen shall fear the name of the Lord—the Gentiles 
shall see his righteousness and all kings shall behold 
his glory 5 ” “ for every where the name of the Lord 

shall be great among the Heathen, righteousness and 
peace will spring forth before all nations, and Zion will 
be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a roy¬ 
al diadem in the hand of her God.” ‘‘ P^or in that day 
the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established 
in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above 
the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it and be sav¬ 
ed.” 

Yes, exclaims the Christian, “ I believe that such 
are the glorious things wdiich are spoken concerning 
Zion, and tbe assurance that such a blessed period 
awaits this guilty world gives me joy unspeakable* 

*Rev.V. 12,9, 10. Isa. liii. 2. Isa. Ixi. It. a. lxii. 3 . 

ii. 2. . ' 


80 


Nor am I so ignorant as to suppose that this millenni¬ 
al glory will ever overspread the world by any other 
means, than the power of the Holy Ghost, accompany¬ 
ing the preaching of the gospel to every creature.” 

Would Christians awake and cause the gospel thus 
to be preached in all the world, we might be sure from 
divine promise that the glorious period would at once 
be ushered in. Will God thus bring to the birth, and 
not cause to bring forth ? No, as soon as the church¬ 
es awake to this duty, as soon as Zion thus travails 
she will bring forth her children—“ a nation shall be 
born at once.”* 

Blessed era, when satan’s kingdom shall be over¬ 
thrown ; when a world, dead in sin, shall be raised to 
spiritual life, and joys everlasting; when all nations 
shall glorify the Saviour and exalt the name of Jeho¬ 
vah! O Christians, fly to the wwk ;—do it vrith your 
might;—the motives to it are infinite ;—now is the ac¬ 
cepted time ;—The Heathen are before you ;—their 
present miseries and their future impending ruin call 
upon you to hasten to them the word of life;—your 
Redeemer bids you go and pluck them as brands 
from the burning :—today if ye will hear his voice, 
harden not'your hearts.—While you delay, the Hea¬ 
then perish, and you rob your Saviour of the joy and 
praise of receiving the Heathen for his inheritance. 
Now you stand solemnly charged to carry the glory of 
Immanuel into all nations for their salvation. Neglect 
it a little longer, and, alas! it is too late. Y6u and 
they are summoned to judgment. How can you meet 
them there ? They knew nothing of that tremendous 
day—but you did ; and you knew that if they died un¬ 
washed in the blood of Christ, that day must seal their 
eternal perdition ; and yet you did not concern your¬ 
selves to acquaint them with that Saviouiv Now yoit 
behold them, standing on the left hand of the Judge,— 
with unutterable horrors depicted on their countenan¬ 
ces. Now they know that while you and they were up- 
■ *■ Isa. Ixvi, 8,9. 


81 


on ilie earth, though they knew nothing of this awful 
day, you had it in strict charge from the Judge him¬ 
self to make it known to them, that they as well as 
you might be prepared to meet it in peace. But you 
neglected the charge; and now nothing remains for 
them, but the dreadful doom, ‘’Depart ye cursed into ever¬ 
lasting fire, prepared for the aevil and his angels.” 
As they go, in anguish and despair, they cast a parting 
look at you !—O ! Christians, what will you then think 
of those little sacrifices, those momentary exertions 
which you are now exhorted to make to rescue mill¬ 
ions from the tremendous doom ! Gracious God ! can 
Christians believe these things—and yet sit so still ? 

O ye blood bought churches of Christ, let the cry 
among you be, “ Whom shall we send, and who will go 
for us as our messengers to the Heathen ?” And O, 
ye pious youth, in Christ’s strength, let the echo among 
you be, “ Here are we, send us.” Most happy, most 
blessed will be the individuaf, the church, the nation, 
who shall be earliest, longest, and most faithful in this 
glorious work. And may the God of all grace merci¬ 
fully bestow this greatest of all blessings upon Ameri¬ 
ca, her churches, and her youth. Amen* 


The follotving gentlemen now compose the Ameriean Board 
of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, The names 
of members, residing in the same state, are arranged ac» 
cording to seniority. 

In the District of Maine. 

Gen. Henry Sewall. 

Rev. Jesse Appleton, d. t>. President of Bowdoin College, 

In Mew Hampshire. 

Hon. John Lang don,' Esq. ll. 3>. 

Rev. Seth Payson, d. d. 

In Massachusetts Proper, 

Rev. Joseph Lyman, d. d. 

Rev. Samuel Spring, d. d. 

His Honor William Phillips, Esq. 

William Bartlet, Esq. 

, Hon. John Hooker, Esq. 

Rev. Jedidiah Morse, b. b. 

Rev. Samuel Worcester, o. B. 

Jeremiah Evarts, Esq. 

In Connecticut, 

Gen. Jedidiah Huntington, 

Hon. John Treadwell, Esq. lb.®. 

Rev. Calvin Chapin, B, B. 

Rev. Jeremiah Day, ll.b. President of Yale College. 

In Mew York. 

Hon. John Jay, Esq. ll.b. 

Hon. Egbert Benson, Esq. ll. b. 

Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer, Esq. 

Rev. Alexander Proudfit, b. b. 

Rev. Eliphalet Nott, d. d. President of Union College, 
Rev. Henry Davis, b.b. President of Hamilton College^ 

In Mew Jersey, 

Hon. Elias Boudinot, Esq. ll. b. 

Rev. Ashbel Green, President of Princeton CoUege. ' 

Rev. Samuel Miller, d. d. Professor in the Theological 
* Rev. James Richards, b. b. {Seminary of the Presbyter 

[rian Church. 

In Pennsylvania. 

Robert Ralston, Esq. 


8B 


The Officers of the Board are as follows, viz. 


The Hon. John Treadwell, Esq, President, 
Rev. Samuel Spring, d. d. Vice President, 



Prudential Committee. 


Mr. Evarts, } 

Rev. Dr. Worcester, Corresponding Secietary, 
Rev. Dr. Chapin, Recording Secretary, 

Mr. Evarts, Treasurer, 

Mr. Ashur Adams, Auditor. 


Within the past year donations have been received from forty- 
seven Foreign Mission Societies, one hundred and sixteen other So^ 
cieties, under different names, principally, however, denominated 
Cent Societies, and one hundred and thirty-six associations^ for the 
education of heathen children and youth; making about three hun-^ 
dred in the whole. Of these Societies, eighty-one consist of males 
only, one hundred and seventy-three of females only, twenty of per¬ 
sons of both sexes, the remaining twenty-five not being distinguished, 
(whether composed of males or females, or of persons of both sexes,) 
in their communications to the Treasurer. 

The donations to the Board, during the year past, have somewhat 
exceeded twenty-seven thousand dollars. 

Donations may be forwarded to the Treasurer. 

le Board have the following Missionary Establishments among 
me heathen. 


\. At Bombay^ in India. 



At this station there are six schools, containing about 400 heathen 
and Jewish children. The translating and printing of the Scriptures 
is likewise in a degree of forwardness. 


On the island of Ceylon, 

2. At Tillapally. 


Rev. Edward Warren, > • 

Daniel Poor, { 


3. At Batticotta. 


Rev. 




84 


At these two stations tjtiere are about 400 native children in f 
course of religious instruction. Tf^elve dollars a year will feed, 
clothe, and educate a child. 

4. Chickamdugah^ among the Cherokee Indians. 

Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury, 

Ard Hoyt, 

Daniel S. Butrick, 

William Chamberlain, 

Mr.. Coring S. Williams, > c i. 7 ^ 

Moody Hall, { SckoolmasUfs. 

At this station is a school containing about 30 Indian lads. 

A church has been formed, and there are 6 hopeful converts from 
among the natives. 

- • The Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury and Mr. Williams are about to leave 
(his station to form an establishment among the Choctaws. They 
are to be joined by three or four other gentlemen who have lately 
entered into the service of the Board.—Rev, John Nichols and Allen 
Graves sailed in October last to join the establishments in Indian 

Besides these establishments, the Board have a Foreign Missiou 
School at Cornwall, Conn., designed to prepare heathen youth and 
others for foreign missions, it now consists of twelve or thirteen 
members. 

■ 4 


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This work is found not to contain so many pages as was expected 
The price therefore, instead of being 31 cents a copy, &c. as wK 
’proposed, is as follows ; viz.'one copy, 25 cents ; five copies, 1 
lar ; ten, 1 dollar seventy-five cents ; twenty, 3 dollars twenty c*" ^ 
dfty, 7 dollars ; one hundred, 13 dollars fifty cents. 









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